Unthinkable
by Marie Nicole
Summary: Could you give your heart up to someone again, even after it's been broken? Could you love someone even though your culture's history won't allow it? Can there be healing beyond the pain felt years ago? Jacob sure hopes so...
1. Release

_**A/N- Ok ladies and gentleman, here it is, my very first PUBLISHED fanfic. I have written before, just never published anything for others to read and review. I don't expect this to be perfect as well as I don't expect everyone to like it. Everyone is entitled to his/her own likes and dislikes, this story is just something that came into my head and I thought it would be interesting to see how others might perceive my madness*inserts evil mechanical laughter***_

_**This story takes place post-Breaking Dawn and Renessme is non-existent (one of the reason why Breaking Dawn is NOT a favorite of mine). Also this is NOT a Jacob and Bella fic, this story is about Jacob, and Bella will make an appearance but they will NOT end up together. As I stated before I am not a fan of Bella, I don't hate her completely, but I HATE all she put Jake through and in all honesty I don't think she deserves someone such as him. With that being said, I thought it would be interesting to open up the idea that Jacob could have other options fighting for a place in his heart. Now with Jacob being what he is, and living in a world that he does, this said person CAN'T be all normal can they?**_

_**So if you want to turn back now because of the revealed revolution that in this story Jacob and Bella won't live happily ever after together and start a family, feel free…but to those that are even the tiniest bit curious about what life could have been if Jake just let Bella be Bella and slowly start to live his life without it revolving around her…..read on….might prove to be pretty interesting.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight series or any of the Characters that are involved in this story that privilege belongs to Stephanie Meyers. I just own the madness that bounces around in my head: p**_

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_**NPOV**_

Sometimes with life, we are thrown some nasty curve balls. We don't know why but it happens. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's bad. We wait and wait for a good fast ball to come our way, until ultimately we wait so long that we strike out.

I thought about this as I put away the last of my clothing. The move here to this small town had been indeed difficult, for not only myself but for my family as well. Our life had been back home, that was where we were comfortable and we didn't have to hide anything about ourselves from anyone. But when my dad passed away, it made living their extremely hard. Everything there reminded us about him, and eventually it got to be too much for my mom. So I guess in an effort to deal with her grieve she moved us all up and away, damn near across the country, to a small secluded town in Washington State.

I gave a small sigh and gave up my feeble attempts at organization and flopped back on my cluttered and somewhat disheveled bed. I turned my head and stared at a portrait of my dad sitting on the top of my bedside table with a small smile. He had taught me so much, and I still missed him terribly but I knew that he would always be with me. I pushed the air out from my cheeks and averted my gaze to the clock beside my dad's picture. _Mmmmhhhmm…..almost 11:30pm_.

I gave a small laugh and got to my feet, stretching slightly to loosen up the knots in my back. Mom wouldn't be home for another eight hours, she had a tendency to work long days at the hospital, and I had absolutely no idea where the hell my siblings were. But I didn't care. These were the times that I cherished, my moments alone, and my moments of freedom. Slowly I began to remove my clothing…..shirt….pants….the whole nine. I opened my bedroom window and effortlessly pushed myself through, landing lightly two stories below on our back lawn. The crisp night air would have chilled anyone right down to their bones, but to me, it felt just like a warm Arizona breeze. The wind blew itself through my thick wavy mass I called hair, and I closed my eyes for a brief second. I took those tiny seconds to completely let my instincts take control and allow my mind to clear.

I was letting the other half of myself engulf me, washing through my body like warm liquid. My eyes snapped open and I rushed towards my release.

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_**JPOV**_

I _hated _this shit! I hated _everything_ that involved being in charge. I hated the increased responsibility for every fucking thing and every fucking body. I hated that when something went wrong, I had to figure out a foul-proof way to fix it. I especially _despised_ the fact that I couldn't even have two fucking seconds to myself. But as they say "_that's how it goes in the land of O's"_ and that's how it went when you take up the position as Alpha.

As I sat there from my spot on the beach, staring off into the dark waters of the ocean, these were the thoughts that vibrated angrily inside my head. Before the change in position, I could go off whenever I wanted too whenever I was pissed or when I just didn't want to be bothered. Couldn't do that shit now though, because I had to be responsible for too many things and too many people. What I wouldn't give right now to just be on my own, away from the prying eyes and the non-existent privacy, to just wallow in my own misery and bitter thoughts. Yeah, it was selfish but I didn't give a shit, I was beyond being understanding and all I felt was anger and bitterness, so yeah you can say that I was indeed having a moment.

I ran a hand through my hair and let out a frustrating growl. My hair was getting longer, a little passed my ears now, but I was getting it cut real soon. No need to keep it long now, I was only doing it for _her!_ I let off another frustrated growl and once again grabbed fistfuls of my hair tugging roughly hoping to pull the strands from my skull. I was thinking about her again and as always it was doing me no good. But this is what happens though when you love someone who doesn't love you back in the same since, everything starts pissing you off, which can account for my nasty attitude of the past few weeks.

I sighed loudly and rubbed my eyes as I thought of Bella, my best friend and my first love. Took me about a year or two to completely get over my obsession with her being with me and accepting the fact that she and I were only ever going to be just friends, but I did it. Didn't stop me from loving her though and it damn sure didn't stop me from being extremely pissed off about her current situation.

But I will always be her friend above anything else, no matter how wrong I felt her choices were. I couldn't help but wonder though how things would have turned out if Prince Leechward hadn't have picked the most opportune time to come waltzing back into Bella's life like the fucking savior he tried to portray. I was a couple paces away from having the one thing I dreamed about since I was thirteen…..but NOOOOOOO…..the goddamn mind reader had to play the scorned lover and of course Bella played right into his tragedy. I shook my head and gave a sarcastic laugh.

No matter how much I thought I was over something, I was always able to bring up painful memories from the past, enticing these angry feelings I now was harboring. I needed an outlet; I needed a release, even if it was for a quick minute. I stood to my feet, slipping my basketball shorts to my ankles and kicking them off. I tied them to the pouch I had around my left ankle and broke out into a sprint, towards the thick trees just up ahead of me, the release I was so desperately looking for just a few seconds away.

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_**A/N: Ok so there you have it; the first chapter in what I hope becomes a very intriguing story. Let me know what you think about it. I will be going back and forth between POV's from Jacob and my beautiful created character. They both have taken off into the night, will they meet up somewhere along the way? MMMMHHHHMMMM, stay tuned loves…it's going to get very interesting and very…hot :P R&R *Smooches* MN**_


	2. Unexpected

_**A/N: Ok so I like how this story is starting off and it kind of gives me the inspiration to continue on. **_

_**With that…here is chapter two…hope you enjoy**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters involved in this story that pleasure belongs to Stephanie Meyers. I just own the beautiful madness in my head: P**_

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_**Unexpected **_

_**NPOV**_

This was heaven to me ….the rush was completely unexplainable. I couldn't even contain my excitement as my legs continued to carry me faster through the thick trees ahead, whipping passed them as I pushed myself beyond velocity. My dad never could believe how fast I had become, faster than he could even dare to imagine. I had passed him in speed early on, and my dad had been doing this for a long time, so he was considered an expert, a natural, that is until my siblings and I took up the responsibilities. I felt at peace when I was like this, in my natural element, to think about my father. Even here in the dead of night, I felt closer to him and I knew that he was right here with me in spirit.

After a minute or two, I began to slow my pace, the destination I was looking for not too far away. I pushed through the dense bushes and trees until they began to thin out, my movements stopping completely as I reached the fresh water stream. It was so beautiful here, quiet and serene. The moon's reflection hit the water's surface and illuminated the bottom, giving the illusion that the stream was filled with tiny diamonds. I had found this place the very first night we moved here, and I fell in love with it. I stood still for a minute, my eyes closed as I allowed the sounds and smells of nature take control over my senses. Placing one foot in front of the other, I began to make my way toward the edge of the stream's bank, bending down and cupping some of the clear water into my hands.

I brought it to my mouth and let out a small moan. It tasted sweet and extremely refreshing. I smiled to myself and was beginning to think that maybe living here wouldn't be so bad, just as long as I had my moments alone, right here in my secret, quiet sanctuary. Then I took a deep breath and dived head first into the chilly water.

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_**JPOV**_

I didn't have a fucking clue about where I was going, or even where I _wanted_ to go, and quite frankly that didn't even bother me. All I knew was that I was giving myself a moment to get away. Away from the bullshit that constantly piled up in my head, and away from my so called inherited responsibilities. I pushed myself faster, the forest around me blurring as I hit my top speed. I wasn't paying much attention to what direction I was going, but with my instincts being what they were, I knew I would never run into anything, however if someone wanted to surprise attack me, they very well could have. My legs were doing what I wanted them to do, but my mind was some where else entirely.

I wanted to run _away_, far, far away from this fuck up thing called my life. I wanted to run until my legs buckled from the exhaustion, and I could no longer place on foot in front of the other. I just wanted to be _alone! _But as much as I wanted this, as much as I _needed_ the seclusion, I knew that I never could get it. I couldn't leave LaPush, no matter how much my mind was begging me to do so. I had an obligation, no a birthright, to my people and to my pack. _SHIT! _I pawed the soil underneath me and let out a small growl. My life couldn't get anymore fucked up! I angrily snapped at a tree beside me, ripping the bark from the truck. Everything was just so goddamn difficult when it came to me. The girl I was in love with, still in love with went and married a fucking bloodsucker, and all I wanted to do was to get away from the bad memories and my own heartbreak, but I couldn't because I had a birthright to up hold for the protection of my people. _DAMMIT! _

I let off a low howl, feeling like I needed to do something to let some of my misery go. I wasn't worried that my pack brothers would think that something wasn't right; they knew me well enough now to know when something was REALLY wrong. With that said though, they also knew when I was going through my moments and didn't want to be bothered. I smelled fresh water up ahead and that's the direction my legs began to carry me. Maybe I could just drown myself, that way the pain and bitterness I was feeling would just be wiped away. Melodramatic I know, but I was feeling just that miserable.

With my nose low to the ground, I pushed through the trees until I could feel them starting to thin out. I picked my head up, preparing to phase back, when I spotted her.

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_**NPOV**_

My popped head popped out of the water when I heard the howl. I was still for a minute, listening intently for any other sound, my eyes scanning the area around me. "That was weird"? I mumbled to myself.

Since the first night I came here, there had absolutely been nothing else out here, no sounds, no movements, nothing but me and nature. This night however, I felt like there was something different in the air, everything around me had shifted. I heard the rustling of bushes to my left, and I quickly ran a hand down my face, to get rid of the access water.

When my vision cleared, and as my eyes scanned the area in front of me, that's when I spotted him and I stiffened.

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_**JPOV**_

I couldn't help the smirk that crossed my face as I watched her. Had I realized there was someone else out here, I probably wouldn't have been making as much noise as I did.

I chuckled softly as she scanned the area in front of her, not yet spotting me, I guess searching for the source of the sound. I had phased back as soon as I saw her, and I stayed somewhat hidden behind a few branches.

I leaned on a nearby tree with my shoulder, my eyes beginning to take her in. Her skin was almost the color of mine, only about two shades darker. Her hair was as dark as the sky above us, the thick waves falling to brush against her shoulders, which I noticed were toned and very smooth. As my brain took in all this information, the male side of me (the ALPHA male side), noticed that she was completely and utterly naked. I almost choked.

And as her eyes finally found me, I couldn't help the huge grin that covered my face. Maybe this night wasn't totally shot to shit.

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_**A/N: Okay so there it is, what do you think? It's only going to get more interesting from this point on. What would you do think is going to happen? Would love to hear from you. As a always please R&R. *Smooches***_


	3. Intrigued

_**A/N: Hello Good Folks, here we are again. I'm hoping to begin to make the chapters a lot longer now that I have set up the characters a bit. I am having fun with Jacob's POV, but I'm still trying to figure out how I want my created character to develop. But that is what makes this fun.**_

_**With out further ado….here is Chapter 3…..enjoy: P**_

_**Disclaimer: Once again Twilight is not mine nor is any of the characters. And as mush as I wish Jacob Black was all mines, Stephanie Meyers owns EVERYTHING! I can just pretend that I own him in my head.**_

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_***Intrigued***_

_**NPOV**_

I didn't know what the hell to do. First off, there was a complete stranger standing just a few feet from me, I had no idea who he was or where he came from and secondly, I was freaking NAKED! _SHIT! _I had slowly began to move towards the edge of the stream's bank, hoping somewhat that I could make a quiet getaway, when he spoke out to me.

"So what's a young woman doing out here by herself?" I snapped my head in his direction suddenly, surprised that he had spoken. I caught his eyes and realized he had a smile on his face. Couldn't for the life of me figure out what was funny, but he obviously thought something was_**.**_

__For a second I was silent, stopping my movements to size him up in case this situation got dangerous. He was tall, extremely tall, that much I could tell even as he leaned casually on the tree beside him. His skin was a beautiful russet color and his hair was about the same ebony color as mine, pulled back in a small ponytail. And he was _STACKED! _This man had muscles on his muscles; his arms were huge as he kept them folded casually across his bare chest. I wasn't scared in the least, but his size might prove to be an issue if I had to protect myself. But there was something about him that gripped my attention, something that pulled me. Something almost animalistic. I placed my arms on the ground in front of me and cocked my head to the side. I didn't know whether to run or to stay, but so far he didn't seem to be posing to me that he has a threat, so I decided to stay and see how this one would play out.

"As you can see I'm going for a swim". I stated. He chuckled and his voice was rich and deep. "This late at night?" "The water has got to be freezing"! He continued to hold a casual stance, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

I had to chuckle then. He didn't know, and I guess to anyone on the outside looking in, this would be really weird.

"The cold doesn't bother me". I said simply, pushing my way away from the bank now, making sure that my shoulders stayed below the water. Even though I knew it was dark and I knew that there was no way his eyes could see all the way over here, I wasn't taking any chances. Best to leave everything up for imagination.

My eyes were locked on him as he pushed himself away from the tree he was leaning against and began to make his way towards the stream. "I find that completely unbelievable". He said, still taking deliberately slow steps towards me.

Without meaning to, I backed away quickly, trying to put as much space as I could between myself and this stranger. Don't get me wrong, I could definitely hold my own if things got down to that point, but I didn't want to take any chances with someone I didn't know. More importantly, I couldn't get a feel for him at all, which was freaking me out because I could normally read a person at first glance.

He caught my movement and laughed. "I'm not going to bite, at least not literally". I gave a small smile but made no attempt to come any closer. "I'm not afraid, but if you haven't noticed I'm kind of in my birthday suit right now, and I'm sure you are a nice guy and everything, but I don't know you". Maybe I shouldn't have stated that fact, but what idiot couldn't figure out that I didn't have any clothes on?

I was hoping that maybe he would get the hint I was trying to get him to catch and excuse himself, so that I could get the hell out of dodge. But when that cocky ass smile broke out across his face again, I knew that my hint had flown right by his head. "Oh I definitely noticed little miss, but I didn't come here for that, I came here for the same reason you did" he said, and right there in front of me, began to slip his basketball shorts to his feet.

I was so shocked and surprised that I didn't even look away and I felt the heat blossom in my cheeks. Wow, this man was quite bold; it was like he didn't have a problem with nudity at all. I swallowed the lump that had all of a sudden formed in my throat.

"And what reason is that?" I chocked out. He gave me another one of them cocky/confident smiles, stopping his movements once he reached the edge of the stream on the opposite end. "To wash away some worries". He stated simply, before he went head first into water, the impact of his body causing water to splash everywhere.

I stood there stunned for all of two minutes. What the fuck was I going to do? I had a chance before he emerged, even if it was for a quick second, to make my getaway. I could get out of this water and be gone before he would clear the water from his face. But I couldn't move. I didn't _want _to move.

For some reason, I was curious about this man and I felt a pull towards him that I couldn't comprehend. I didn't know him at all, but he intrigued me, and considering what I was, that was a feat in itself. I wanted to know more.

**_A/N: Please read and review, it will be much appriciated. Thanks love *Smooches* MN_**


	4. Enticing

_**A/N: Hello Lovely folks, sorry for the wait on this chapter, my computer wanted to have a temper tantrum and not work. But I'm not going to take up a lot of time. Here comes chapter 4, and finally you guys get to know what the lovely young woman's name is.**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, that honor goes to Stephanie Meyers. Wouldn't mind having Jacob Black as my own though: P**_

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_**Jacob's POV**_

Honestly, I don't know what possessed me to jump into that stream. As my head re-emerged from the crystal clear water that seemed to be the un-going question I posed to myself. It wasn't my first time stopping at this spot either. I usually stayed here to catch a quick drink and then went on my way, running through the woods until I couldn't feel my legs or my pain anymore.

But tonight, I was definitely not expecting to find a bronzed beauty swimming alone, and let's not forget, naked here without a damn care in the world. The moment I laid my eyes on her, I felt something, my senses alert and tingling. She compelled me, and I found myself being pulled towards her without my conscience consent. My first intentions though were to keep my distance. I was going to waste some time, ask a bunch of non-relative ass questions, then when that got boring, make up a lame excuse about having to leave and roll the fuck out. But for some strange reason, it was like she kept me rooted right there to the spot.

A bunch of questions kept bouncing around in my head, that I all of a sudden found that I wanted answers too. Why was she out here at night, by herself? Why wasn't she dying of pneumonia right now from the below freezing temperature water? Did she know how dangerous things got around here?

She had remained at the opposite end, the water still completely up to her shoulders. I gave a small chuckle. "I told you I didn't bite. You don't have to stay all the way over there". I was hoping to somewhat break the ice, because she really didn't have anything to fear from me. But even as I told her this, she continued to be guarded. There was a small smirk playing on the corner of her lips, which brought me to the harsh realization that they were very full and had a very appealing rosy tint to them.

_C'mon Jake man…..FOCUSES! _

As I was swallowing the painful lump that all of a sudden formed in my throat she finally, after what seemed like forever, spoke up. "I'm not afraid of you". She said. "But I'm not exactly dressed right now for a proper introduction". I smiled a little at that. Maybe she was shy or maybe she was being modest. I course I didn't give a shit about nudity at all. Clothes weren't at the top of the priority list in the life of a werewolf.

"I have only just met you, and I can't be having you seeing me in all my glory". She said then and I almost gave a really loud and rather rude snort through my nose.

If she only knew what I was. Because if she did, she would know that it wouldn't matter how far away she kept herself away from me, or how deep she emerged herself into the water, I could still make out every feminine curve that graced her body. Now me being me, I would have normally stuck my foot in my mouth and said that out loud, but I didn't want the poor girl getting freaked out. But of course I couldn't hold back a smart remark even if my life depended on it.

"What if it doesn't make a difference"? The fucking words flew from my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.

_Smooth Jacob! _

I just knew this girl was going to smack the hell out of me for that statement, and I couldn't really blame her. I could be a straight asshole sometimes. I was all but ready to receive the smack that I knew was coming to my face and to prepare for this poor girl not to break her hand, I turned my head slightly, in hopes that her hand wouldn't get hurt too badly. But after a moment or two without anything coming my way, I took a chance and looked at her.

She was staring at me, and instead of the look of anger I was half expecting to cross her features, she looked amused. She had her head cocked slightly to the side and on her lips there was a small smile. Her shoulders were completely out the water now and by the stance she had taken I could tell that she had her hands on her hips.

"Are you saying it doesn't matter if you see me naked?" She asked.

What the fuck? Was this a trick question?

I didn't know whether to say yes or to say no. But I did the first smart thing I have done in a very, _very_ long time.

I kept my mouth shut!

She gave a chuckle and shook her head softly from side to side, some of the dark raven hair staying in her face. "Believe me though, I guess most of the time it doesn't matter" She stated simply, saying it more so to herself than to me.

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

What the hell was she talking about? Did she walk around naked on a regular? And if she did, where the fuck was I at when she was doing it?

As much as I wanted to entertain those questions, and even more so have them answered, I left it alone, but I couldn't keep the smirk from playing around my lips. I stepped forward a little and extended my hand towards her.

"The name is Jake, I live here in LaPush"

She stepped forward a little as well, placing her small hand inside my gigantic man paw. Her hand wasn't cold to me, which was a first. Everything felt freezing to you when you walked around like a gigantic fireball that never went out. Her temperature felt normal, almost as if we had the same body warmth. For a few seconds she didn't say a word and I waited patiently for her to also give me her government.

"Jake huh?" She questioned. "That has to be short for Jacob right"?

I smiled then, the muscles in my face stretching painfully. I wasn't doing a lot of smiling lately so those muscles weren't getting used often.

"You would be correct miss…..?"

I purposely left my sentence open, hoping that she would catch the hint and notice that she hadn't revealed that slightly important piece of information about herself. She gave me a small smile, her eyes leaving mine for a second to stare at her feet, before she met my eyes again.

"My name is Naomi".

As soon as her name fell from those lips, I wanted to hear it again. But before I could get my tongue working, she beat me to it.

"I kind of like Jacob better". She said quietly, her index finger absently twirling a piece of hair.

I could feel my heart beginning to beat hard against my chest. I felt a warm sensation roll up my back that had absolutely nothing to do with anger or rage. My name fell smoothly from those lips like melted chocolate. It stirred something inside me, and it made me want to act on whatever impulse that I all of a sudden began to feel. Even as my brain screamed at me to keep my distance and to not over step my boundaries, my body began to act all on its own. I made my way slowly over to her and to my immense relief; she didn't back away from me. I stopped in front of her, my tall frame towering over her smaller one and gave her a small smile.

"I like Naomi too sweetheart".

She smiled again at me; her eyes reflected the moonlight and her cheekbones rose up, almost reaching the bottom of those almond shaped beauties. She didn't say anything else, she just kept staring straight back at me, searching my face with a boldness that I haven't encountered from a female in a long time.

For whatever reason, it was like my entire self was slowly being pulled towards this girl and I still didn't know a thing about her. She was enticing to me, and for the life of me, I didn't have a damn clue why.

_**As always thanks for reading….please read and review. It gives me motivation to continue. *Smooches***_


	5. Revelations

_**A/N: So what did you guys think? We have finally found out her name (well not me, but you guys'). I would love your feedback. But even if I don't get any reviews I'm not going to stop writing. It's what I love to do. So with that….onward to Chapter 5. Hope you enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine, I own nothing. Stephanie Meyers owns it all. **_

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_***Revelations* **_

_**Naomi's POV**_

I definitely liked the way Jacobs's name fell from my lips. I had a thing when it came to using a person's full name. My full name was rarely used in my household, so if the opportunity came up where I could use someone else's then I definitely wasn't passing it up.

I watched him closely as he approached me and this time I didn't take a step back. I stared up into his face, he was extremely tall, and soaked up his features. He was very handsome and his entire face radiated with masculinity. I didn't mean to stare but I couldn't help myself. He was just that damn captivating. That much I could tell even before he made a diving leap into the stream.

I definitely had to compose myself. When you began to stumble over your words and act nervous in front of a guy, it would more than likely go to their heads. "

So what are you doing out here so late"? I decided to ask.

He laughed softly, and I could detect a note of sarcasm flowing from it. "I usually just come out here to think, to kind of clear my mind". He said, moving backwards a bit until his back was leaning up against the stream's bank.

This time I found myself moving towards him, my body moving on its own, the distance between us getting smaller and smaller.

"You must come here often then, this place is not really easy to find". I stated simply.

It was by pure luck that I even stumbled upon this place, but I was extremely glad that I did.

Jacob smiled and his eyes found mine.

"Yeah I do, but like I said before, I live around here so I know the area like the back of my hand." He pushed himself away from the bank then to come and meet me almost in the middle.

"With that being said though". He started. "I have never seen you around in these parts; I would have definitely remembered that face".

I had to smile at his last statement, knowing that he was beginning to flirt. I didn't mind going back and forth with the flirtatious banter. However, I wasn't ready, nor did I ever think I would be ready to tell _anyone_ who I was and where I came from. Jacob didn't seem like a threatening guy, but I just couldn't take any chances. My family depended on our secret being kept.

"My family just moved here a week ago, I found this stream on the second day I was here, I liked it so I came back"

I kept it short and brief. Didn't say too much and didn't say to little to make it seem like I was being evasive. Jacob gave me a slight nod, his eyebrows furrowed together as if he was deep in thought.

"Why at night though sweetheart"? You are new to this area; things aren't always what they may seem around here".

I chewed on my bottom lip, a nervous gesture that I had yet to get rid of. He sure did ask a lot of questions. But in all honesty, I guess it did look pretty weird that a young woman such as me could be completely at ease in an unfamiliar area in the dead of night. But I couldn't help but smile at him. It was sweet that he was even thinking about my well being when he didn't even know me. It was a thoughtful gesture, but it definitely wasn't needed. I could handle my own.

"I like the night".

I would leave it at that. Jacob smiled at me then, and I guess decided to himself that he was going to close the little bit of distance that remained in between us. I didn't move nor did I look away as he stared into my face. His ebony eyes searched mine for what seemed like forever.

"You have very pretty eyes". He said his deep voice low and husky.

I felt like my cheeks were going to be permanently stuck in an upward position because of how much he was making me smile. It was like some how he knew exactly what you wanted to hear, and then he said it just the way you wanted him too.

"Thank you, yours aren't that bad either". I said, my eyes moving the length of his body. Can you blame me for slightly losing concentration around this man? Who wouldn't?

"But I guess the eye color goes with being Native American."

I knew this fact as soon as I looked at him. My dad had the same copper-russet skin color and the same ebony eyes.

Jacob looked a little taken back by my declaration but recovered rather quickly. "How do you know I'm Native American"? He asked.

I laughed, and began circling him in the water. "Well it's your skin tone mostly; my dad had your same color".

I bit my tongue and cursed myself.

_FUCK_!

Didn't mean to say that. I was thinking out loud again. I chewed my lip and hoped, _prayed_ that Jacob hadn't paid attention to what slipped out my mouth. He did however because his next words were exactly what I didn't want to hear.

"You said you dad _had_ the same skin color, did he pass away".

_SHIT! _

He was indeed very quick at picking up on the little stuff. It was already bad enough that I didn't want to talk about me or my family in depth, but the subject of my father was defiantly one not to touch. Not now, not ever. I raked my brain frantically for a cover-up excuse, anything I could use to side-step his question. However it wasn't even necessary. Jacob cleared his throat and shot a soft, sheepish smile my way.

"Look I'm sorry for being overly nosy; you don't have to answer that sweetheart" "I have a nasty habit of speaking before my brain can tell me to shut the fuck up".

I laughed almost nervously when he said that, extremely grateful that he gave me the escape I was desperately looking for.

"It's cool". I said quietly.

There was an awkward moment between us for a couple seconds before Jacob spoke again.

"So if your dad was Native American, I'm only assuming that who would be the same".

He cracked a smile and gave me a wink before he continued. "But I have never seen you on the reservation before, what tribe are you from"?

I stared at him in confusion for a few seconds, my chest tightening and unconsciously I moved away from him a little.

"There is a reservation here"? My voice had risen slightly, to the point where the last word came out more like a squeak.

Jacob's face was confused and unsure, not all together certain how to handle my change of attitude. "Yeah there is a reservation here, I live on it, and I'm Quileute."

And all at once, all of a sudden, my world stopped.

My heart felt like it was going to burst through my chest because it began beating so hard. I couldn't breathe, my chest constricting painfully. I couldn't be here, I _shouldn't _be here.

This wasn't allowed, and if I wanted my family to stay safe and hidden, I had to get out of here.

_**A/N: *Snickers evilly* what in all that is holy is going on? You will find out soon enough. Thanks for reading. Please R&R *Smooches***_


	6. Captivated

_**A/N: Here we are again, chapter six. Hold on tight everyone, you won't find out Naomi is hiding for a couple chapters. Just hang in there; things will get extremely more complex.**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyers does.**_

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**__***Captivated***_

_**Jacob's POV**_

The closer I was to this girl, the more she pulled me in. And as much as I raked my brain trying to make sense of it all, I couldn't figure out why I was so drawn to her. When she had ask me what I was doing out here so late, I had gave her a truthful answer, surprising myself about how open I was being with her, a total stranger.

Now a days, you couldn't get me to string a whole sentence together, and here I was having a full conversation with someone I didn't even know. It was like the words just flowed out of me naturally, they weren't forced, like they otherwise would have been if she caught me a couple of hours ago.

Naomi had seemed amused when I told her that I usually came out here to clear my head. I tried to keep my sarcasm at a healthy level. I couldn't tell her that I came out here to try and drown myself because my life and my bitter thoughts about my life were slowly driving me into insanity and I just wanted it all to go away. The poor girl would have ran away screaming about a random naked man contemplating suicide. This of course was the farthest thing from my mind. I told you I was Melodramatic.

But in hindsight, it was true; I wanted to wash my mind of all the disturbing and depressing thoughts that were running through it. But never in a million years could I have thought I would have found such an interesting creature out here, almost in the middle of nowhere. My damn luck was just not that good. But so far, to its defense, luck had been holding up for me. So of course, I decided to test the waters.

The invisible rope that seemed to be constantly pulling me in Naomi's direction gave a tug, and I found myself once again walking towards her. She didn't back away from me as she did previously, and for that I was grateful. Our conversation started up again and she asked me whether or not I knew that the stream was here. Of course I told her that I did, I was familiar with the area around the reservation in great detail. I could walk around here with my eyes closed and wouldn't get lost.

I had decided to lay on some charm and let Naomi know that I defiantly had not seen her around these parts before, and when I told her that I would have remembered a pretty face such as hers, she smiled at me. Her entire face lighting up. But she continued to remain guarded around me. I wouldn't push it though. I didn't know her and who the hell was I to push for information.

"My family just moved here a week ago, I found this stream on the second day I was here, I liked it so I came back".

Her voice had surprised the shit out of me because I was half expecting her not to answer at all and tell me to mind my business. I was left speechless for a second, but then slowly my brain started working again and I was able to put my words together.

"Why at night though sweetheart"? "You are new this area; things aren't always what they may seem around here".

Although there haven't been any incidents in close to two years, I knew that situations were always capable of escalating around here, especially when there was a family of bloodsuckers living just a few miles away. Trouble was something of regularity around here.

I watched Naomi's brow come together in thought, and as she did this, her bottom lip was pulled in between her teeth, in what I could tell was a nervous gesture. The Alpha male had again reared his head, and I found that simple movement _VERY_ alluring. I had to avert my eyes somewhere else, preferably somewhere above her shoulders, maybe even over her head.

I guess an answer to my question had come to her because a small smile graced her lips, the action before making them fuller than they were before.

"I like the night". She said softly.

I couldn't stop the grin that came to my face. She was being evasive, and I had to admit that she was damn good at it. I decided then to close the little bit of space we still had between us to gauge her reaction. Yeah, I was being bold, bold as hell, but she didn't seem to care. Even as I towered over her much smaller frame, she didn't even take a step back, didn't flinch.

Naomi had this air of bravery around her and I liked that. The only woman I knew who acted like she could beat someone's, _anyone's_ ass was Leah, and she had that hardcore attitude way before she ever made the change to a werewolf. But to feel that aura coming from someone else was interesting.

"You have very pretty eyes". I said before I could even stop myself. Speaking before I thought it through completely was a flaw that I normally shot myself in the foot with on a regular basis.

But there had to be a full moon out tonight, because for some crazy reason, luck was really being my friend tonight. Naomi gave me a huge smile, the motion making her cheek bones lift up.

"Thank you, yours aren't that bad either" She said, her eyes leaving my face for a second to run down the length of my body. I couldn't be mad; my eyes definitely took in my share of what she was working with.

"But I guess the eye color goes with being Native American".

I knew what my face must have looked like, because that one statement surprised the hell out of me. How did she know that I was Native American? When I asked her just that, she took me for another spin when she laughed. What the hell was so funny?

"Well it's your skin tone mostly; my dad had your same color".

As soon as those words left her mouth I could tell she regretted it almost at once, at least by the way she bit her lip and kept her eyes away from meeting mine. Now, one would think that her reaction would be enough of a clue for me not to push the issue, but of course I never fucking learn and my ass went right ahead and gave a push.

"You said your dad _had_ the same skin color, did he pass away"?

If I thought luck was being my friend before, I was completely wrong now. The poor girl was chewing on her bottom lip so hard, I thought it was going to start bleeding.

_Dammit Jacob!_

Boy, did I really know how to be a kill joy.

After silently cursing myself very harshly, I recovered. I didn't have to know her very well to tell that the subject of her father was a topic not to touch, and that I could completely understand and relate too. I didn't like talking about my mom to anyone either, whether I knew them or not.

As I studied her, I could tell that she was trying to think of a cover, something to say to distract me from noticing that she hadn't or wouldn't answer my question. I decided she didn't need to have one.

"Look I'm sorry for being overly nosy; you don't have to answer that sweetheart". "I have a nasty habit of speaking before my brain can tell me to shut the fuck up".

Naomi laughed then, somewhat hysterically, but any reaction from her kind of set me at ease. I didn't think I could deal with a crying female right at this point. The tension was slowly rolling off her shoulders and I could visibly see her begin to relax.

"It's cool".

I watched her for another minute. If her dad was Native American that would probably make her the same. I said this out loud, a grin on my lips. I gave Naomi a wink and I got a small smile in return.

"But I have never seen you on the reservation before, what tribe are you from"?

My guess was that she was a part of the Makah tribe; the girls from that rez were indeed something to look at. My pack brothers loved it when they threw bonfires just so they could have an excuse to go over there.

Naomi raised an eyebrow and once again drew in that bottom lip between her teeth. The more she did that, the more I wanted to see it again.

"There is a reservation here"? She had said in the next breath, her voice spiking in pitch as she spoke.

I knew my facial expression looked confused because that exactly how I felt. I couldn't gauge this change of emotion. She really looked like she was about to have a panic attack.

"Yeah there is a reservation here, I live on it, and I'm Quileute".

Now don't get me wrong, I was proud of my nationality, even with the added werewolf genes. But as this little bit of information passed my lips, Naomi looked like she wanted to bolt. Her eyes were darting back and forth between me and the stream's bank. I could hear her heartbeat beginning to rapidly pick up and her chest had begun to heave up and down so much, that I could begin to see the top swell of her breasts with each breath. She was freaking out and I didn't have fucking clue about what to do.

I moved towards her slightly.

"Hey are you ok"? I asked, her complete 360 degree turn around making me a bit nervous.

Naomi looked at me finally as if she was just seeing me for the first time. Then without warning, she turned around and began making her way towards the stream's bank, making to get out.

"I have to go". She said quietly.

I took two long and quick strides to reach her and block her path. I touched her elbow in an attempt to slow her down, and for split second, almost too quick to even notice, I thought I saw the outline of her body began to blur. In my surprise, I took a sudden step back, almost losing my balance. Naomi gave me a small sad smile.

"I'm sorry Jake, but I really have to go".

I smiled a little in return. "You called me Jake; I thought you liked Jacob better"?

She gave a soft laugh then. "I like them both actually". She stated simply.

Then she looked over her shoulder again and the smile fell from her face. When she made to move around me, I blocked her path again, the strong pull I continued to feel increasing.

"Can I see you again"? I asked my voice dropping.

She looked up at me, meeting my eyes, and for the first time I noticed her eyes were the color of brown sugar, instead of the ebony color I thought they were before. Naomi gave a small shake of her head, the thick raven hair slipping around her shoulders.

"We can't be friends Jake, I'm not good"

With that simple statement, I was thrown into a very painful memory, so hard that it took my breath away. I had said the exact same thing to Bella when I first turned into a werewolf. The pack kept telling me to stay away from her, that I was too dangerous. I had told her that because in my mind, I wasn't good anymore. My old personality was thrown right out the window when I turned.

To hear the same exact words come from someone else should have sent up some warning signs in my brain. The Alpha in me should have immediately started analyzing the situation. But it was like Naomi was blocking my ability to use common sense.

Unconsciously I moved a piece of hair that had fallen slightly in her face to behind her ear.

"What do you mean you're not good, you're beautiful".

I didn't know what was coming over me, but I was never a person who beat around the bush. I said exactly what I was thinking. Naomi smiled, but moved away from me, stopping when her back touched the stream bank. I didn't follow this time, I just watched her, wanting to say something else but I couldn't form a coherent sentence.

"You are special Jake; I can feel you and your spirit".

She stepped forward quickly before I could comprehend what she was doing and placed a soft, quick kiss to my cheek.

"But I cannot see you ever again, it is not welcomed".

And before I could blink, before I could even think, Naomi pushed herself out the water, giving me a very generous view of herself, before taking off into a very impressive sprint through the trees and disappearing.

I stood there completely stunned, my mouth gaped open. My thoughts were jumbled together and I couldn't even comprehend what just happened. I could feel the grin on my face as I touched my hand to my cheek, running my fingers over the spot where she kissed me.

I pushed myself out the water and began to get dressed. This night had to be the most interesting one I have had in a long time.

As I made way towards the trees, my body beginning to blur in preparation to phase, I couldn't help thinking for the first time since Bella left to live in the world of bloodsuckers, I was captivated by someone else. And I liked it.

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_**A/N: Please R&R it would make this writer very, very happy.**_


	7. Loyalty

_**A/N: Sorry for the long wait in between chapters. School these past couple days has been keeping me pretty busy. But of course I have finally found the time to update for you guys. So here we are chapter 7, hope you enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Do not own twilight or any of the characters, that honor is held by Stephanie Meyers.**_

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*Loyalty*

_**Naomi's POV**_

I have never run so fast before in my life. Well, I have, but never before have I had to run with such urgency.

My chest was slowly becoming less constricted and the farther away I got, the more deeply I could breathe. I couldn't help but to imagine how my night would have turned out if Jacob never told me where he was from.

Don't get me wrong though, I am **NOT** that type of girl and nothing was going to happen on **THAT** kind of level, but conversation wise I believe that we could have had a very interesting talk.

But I would never know whether or not that talk could have happened.

That interaction between us was not welcomed, and I wouldn't put my family at risk like that again.

Once I could sense that my house wasn't to far away, I began to slow down. Thank Goodness Jacob didn't decide to follow me. He definitely didn't look like the type of guy to just lie down and give up.

His spirit was very strong and it was extremely pleasant to be around, the aura he possessed calming you from the inside to the outside.

I could feel it in my heart that Jacob was special, and there was a reason why we met tonight; I just didn't know what that was.

By this time, my pace had completely slowed till I was walking. I was so absorbed in my thoughts, that I wasn't even the least bit concerned about where my feet were going.

That is, until I was suddenly thrown, hard, into a nearby tree.

As my body made impact, the trunk of the tree snapped loudly and the braches shook violently. When I stood to my feet, I took up a defensive stance, my eyes searching the grounds in front me, looking for any sign of movement.

Guess this is what I get for having my head in the clouds.

But all I knew right this moment was that whoever threw me into this tree was going to get their fucking face punched in, that much was certain. I heard some rustling to my left and my head snapped in that direction.

I was preparing myself to lunge, when all of a sudden, I heard laughter.

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Jacob's POV.

I couldn't keep the humongous grin off my face as I strolled slowly across the beach towards my home.

The run back here was definitely more pleasant than when I first ran towards the forest. I haven't had a good night like this is an awfully long time.

This of course, was one of the reasons I had this shit-eating grin plastered to my face.

I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my basketball shorts and kicked some sand with my foot. It was like for a moment, even if it was brief, I could breathe again. I sat down on a piece of driftwood that was lying in the sand and let out a sigh. The sun was getting ready to rise in couple more hours and I wasn't even the least bit tired.

I couldn't keep my mind off of Naomi.

Everything about her seemed to pull me in. Her face, her thick, slightly wavy ebony hair, the chocolate mocha colors of her skin, those big brown sugar eyes, just dammit everything. I was most definitely going to see her again, I didn't give a fuck about what she said wasn't welcomed. Even if I had to search all of Washington State, I was going to find her.

Because I was so wrapped up in my somewhat stalkerish thoughts, I didn't hear the footsteps behind me.

"So what the hell was up with you tonight"?

I smiled and gave a soft chuckle without turning around. Leave it to Embry to cut straight to the point.

"I was having a moment, I'm cool now".

I heard Em snort before he took a seat beside me.

"Jake man, to be honest, you're starting to scare me".

When he didn't continue, I turned to him with an eyebrow raised in question. Embry had a serious expression on his face and it made me think that something was wrong.

"Why"? I asked.

Em gave a loud sigh and turned away from me to look at the water in front of us.

"Because man, with all these different mood swings lately, got us all thinking that you're turning into a female".

When he burst out laughing, I punched him, hard, in his right shoulder. Embry moved away from me, gripping his shoulder, his face cringing briefly from pain, but was laughing like an asshole.

"Ouch man, damn. I was just joking."

I had to laugh then, not feeling even the least bit sorry for his shoulder. Embry stopped abruptly, his laughter cut off instantly.

"Ok, who are you and what did you do with Jacob Black"?

I gave an uninterested jerk of my shoulders, a smirk playing on my lips.

"He's right here".

The huge grin was still on my face and it was giving Embry the creeps. Couldn't say I blamed him though. These last couple of weeks I was the world's most depressed person. Em leaned against the piece of driftwood I was sitting on and rested his elbows on his knees.

"So what happened with you tonight"?

If possible, and in all honesty I didn't think it was possible, my smile widened. Embry flinched away, and I could tell that he was completely and utterly freaked out now.

I'm pretty sure I looked like a psychotic maniac.

"C'mon man Jake; I'm starting to get scared here".

I laughed loud, my heart beginning to flutter happily in my chest.

"My night has been great".

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Naomi's POV

The laughter continued and my body remained stiff. Who the hell would think that throwing me into a tree was funny? I heard the leaves crunch under someone's feet and I prepared myself as the bushes in front of me shook.

"I wish you could have seen your face".

As soon as I heard that voice, I relaxed and frowned in that direction.

"I swear Aaron you are an asshole".

My brother stepped out from the bushes and leaned against the tree that I was thrown against. His arms were crossed against his bare chest that shook with continuous laughter.

"Should have been paying attention, you know we still don't know this area well".

I rolled my eyes and tried to scrub off some dirt that was smudged on my thigh.

"This is true, but was throwing me into a tree all that necessary"?

Aaron laughed again, completely unaffected by my nakedness. This was our life, our destiny, and being naked most of the time came with the territory.

"Awe stop crying, I knew you could take it".

I snorted but I didn't say anything else. Aaron was always continuously pushing me; sometimes so hard that I thought he forgot that I was a girl. But I knew he loved me, no matter how hard he pushed me passed my limits. When our dad passed, Aaron it took upon himself to become the man of our household, picking up the responsibilities that our father took care of. And we all knew that he took his job very seriously. Aaron would die for us without a conscience thought, and I couldn't have asked for a better brother.

He tossed me a bag, and when I caught it, I could tell it held some clothes.

"I went to your room and you weren't there, I figured you came out this way".

I smiled as I was taking out the articles of clothing. Aaron always knew me so well. Before I could speak though, I was cut off.

"You have to stop doing this shit Naomi; do you realize how worried we get about you"?

My sister stepped from behind a tree, her arms folded and a frown on her face as she stared at me. Aaron laughed and gave her a small push.

"Chill out Camille, you know Na can take care of herself".

Camille looked at him sharply and Aaron raised his hands up in mock surrender.

"That's not the point Aaron and you know it, suppose she got hurt then what"?

I pulled on the sweatpants that were in the bag and was digging around for a shirt.

"Damn Camille a little confidence would be nice". I said.

I found a white tank top and pulled it over my head, almost missing my sister roll her eyes at me. "I'm fine, except for being thrown into a tree from asshole over there".

Aaron looked at me with a slight frown on his face before he turned to Camille with a look of horror.

"YOU THREW HER INTO A TREE"? She yelled. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU"?

I was laughing so hard that I couldn't stand up straight any more.

Aaron was 6'7 and filled out so much that it looked like he lived in a gym. Which wasn't true, it was just something he inherited from dad and me and Camille only stood at 5'6 but he would always cower from us when we got angry.

He had said something once about angry, scary female tendencies that made even the toughest, strongest man run away in fear.

Camille smacked him over his head, and he cringed away in pain. Then she walked over to me and began to inspect me for any injuries. This was the part where I hated being the youngest. Always being treated like a breakable object. Not so much from Aaron, but most definitely by Camille. She acted so much like mom that I had a hard time telling them apart sometimes.

I brushed her off and squirmed away from her prying hands. "Camille, I'm ok, I'm good".

She looked unconvinced but for the moment I guess she was satisfied. I wasn't bleeding openly from anywhere and for right now that was good enough. Camille pushed some of her hair behind her ear and began stalking towards the house.

"Aaron you do that again and I'll break your arms off". She snarled.

She stopped her stroll briefly and looked back at us with a small smile on her face.

"C'mon, I'll make us some tacos". And with that, she pushed through the bushes and disappeared.

Camille was definitely a bossy person and she sometimes interfered to damn much but she meant well. She loved us and looked out for our well being.

Aaron shook his head and walked over to me, throwing an arm around my shoulders, the two of us following behind Camille's footsteps.

'You're getting fast little one, you might be faster than me now".

I beamed up at him, pride swelling through my chest.

"Really"?

He gave me a quick smirk and a wink, giving my shoulders a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah you are, dad would be proud".

I leaned into him and breathed in his scent deeply.

"I want to be able to protect what's mine."

Aaron gave a soft laugh, his fingers playing with some of my hair.

"Well you have me for that, but I don't mind the help".

I laughed and hugged him closer. As we made our way to the house, I knew this is what was important to me, my family. And I would do everything in my power to protect us.

Even if it meant that I couldn't never form other relationships with other people, my family would always come first.

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A/N: So what do you think? You got to meet Naomi's family and saw a little peek into her life. Hopefully the next chapter will be up in the next few days and wont take as long as this one did. As always Please R&R.


	8. Revealed

_**A/N: I really like how this story is developing. I know just what direction I want this to go in and I can't wait to have you guys read this till the end. With that, here is chapter 8. Thanks for those who have been keeping up with this story and also special thanks to those who have reviewed. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own anything that's Twilight, it all belongs to Stephanie Meyers.**_

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*Revealed*

_**Naomi's POV.**_

I must have fallen asleep around 4 in the morning. Camille had made some delicious tacos that me and Aaron tore through like we were two starving orphans. Then we stayed up late into the morning talking about nonsense. I loved it when we were like this. Just three normal siblings, staying up late into the night while our Mom worked her late shift at the gig.

Camille had even loosened up a bit to crack some hilarious jokes of her own. She was still super pissed at Aaron for what he did to me earlier, but he was a charmer and neither one of us, Mom included, could stay mad at him for very long.

After a while, Aaron had gone back out and me and Camille stayed in, looking at T.V. I had my head in her lap, and she was running her fingers through my hair, softly singing one of our childhood melodies. More than likely I fell asleep right there. I complained about being treated like a child between my two older siblings, but I loved the moments where they cared for me.

Camille acted liked the mother when Mom had to work long hours. She took care of us, even if she could sometimes be a bitch. We wouldn't trade her for nothing.

I rolled over onto my back and tried to open my eyes against the blinding sunlight that was shining through my bedroom curtains. Aaron probably came in later and carried me to bed. He had been doing the same thing since I was a little girl.

I stretched obnoxiously but didn't make a move to get up. I wasn't a morning person at all, and it always took me a couple minutes to fully get enough energy to just sit up. My bedroom door creaked open and I heard the soft stepping of footsteps approach my bed, before I felt it sink with the added weight.

"Good Morning _sons-ee-ah-ray_".

I smiled as I heard my Mom's, Natalie, voice and forced myself to sit up. She always said this phrase to me, which meant Morning Star, every day as she would come wake me up.

As a young girl, I was told that the name "Morning Star" was given to describe a very bright and beautiful girl. My mom told me from the moment I was born; my dad had been calling me this ever since.

I rubbed my eyes a little and looked over at the woman sitting in front of me. Everyone said that I was the splitting image of my Mom. Camille and Aaron had taken after our father, but me and Mom could definitely pass as twins. She was, in my opinion, still beautiful. Her skin was smooth and flawless and her eyes were still big and bright. She was beginning to get some lines around the edges, but that was only because she laughed a lot. Her hair was still thick and healthy, with only a few strands of gray hair sprinkled through out. My mom was aging gracefully and she could still keep up with us just as good as if she was in her early twenties.

My mom reached over and tried laying some of my hair down with her hand, laughing softly.

"I swear you always look like a wild banshee every time you wake up". She said.

I laughed, but made no effort to fix the mess that sat on top of my head. I had plenty of time to get ready, and I wasn't quite prepared to spend too much energy just yet.

Mom laughed with me for a bit before she sobered up and began caressing my face softly. "Camille told me what happened last night with Aaron". She said softly with a small frown on her face.

I huffed and rolled my eyes. There goes Camille again doing what she does best, interfering.

"Mom, I'm fine. This is what Aaron and I do; you know I can take it".

She smiled a bit but never stopped her touches.

"I know love, and don't think for once that I doubt your capabilities". She sighed then, brushing some hair away from my face. "But sometimes I think Aaron forgets that you are a young woman".

I smiled at her, leaning forward quickly to peck her on the cheek before I rose from my bed and began looking for some clothes to throw on.

"Mom, without Aaron pushing me like he does, I wouldn't be where I am now".

I found some jeans and laid them across my desk chair. My mom stood from the bed and made her way to me, softly grabbing my arm and turning me around to face her.

"You are a pretty girl Naomi; I just want a normal life for you that's all".

I couldn't help but smile at her. Mom knew the circumstances that surround our culture, yet she still wished for all of us to live happy and normal lives.

"You know that couldn't happen, Mom".

She shook her head at me with a sad smile on her face.

"It could happen if you let it". She said quietly.

I must have looked at her like she was crazy because she started laughing and plopped herself back on my bed again.

"Stop looking at me like that".

I couldn't do anything but sit down slowly in my desk chair, my mouth open in shock. Did my mom really just say that? After all, I thought she, above anyone else, would disapprove of us getting acquainted with others, especially if it posed a risk of revealing what we were. When I could get my words together I directed my concerns to her.

"How could I do that Mom? Especially if it would expose our family to others".

My family was everything to me and I would protect us with every breath I had left in my body, but I also would give anything if I could form relationships with others. To be able to have girlfriends, guy-friends, maybe even a boyfriend. I was going on twenty-two years old and I never even been on a date. I have felt this way for a minute, but I knew family loyalty came before my own desires and wants. And to hear my mom say what I have been thinking for a while now kind of shocked me.

She propped her herself up on my headboard and softly patted the spot beside her with her hand. I got up slowly and made my way towards the bed, laying down beside her and resting my head in her lap. She softly used her fingers to gently detangle my hair.

"I say that because you are young Naomi, and I want you to live every moment to the fullest. I don't want you having any regrets or asking what if".

I didn't say anything but I gripped her leg tightly, my heart beginning to beat hard in my chest. I instantly started to think about Jacob, and how he probably could have been a very good friend to me, if I could have stayed a little longer last night, long enough to get a better feel on his personality and what he was like. My mom stopped playing with my hair to turn my face towards her so that now I was looking straight up into her face.

"What's on your mind, little one"?

I bit my lip and tried to turn my head away but she held it in place. My emotions started to get the best of me and I felt the tears begin to collect at the bottom of my eyes and when I blinked, they fell down my cheeks.

"I met someone last night, but I am afraid". I said quietly.

My mom gave me a small smile and leaned forward, placing two small kisses on each of my cheeks. She took her finger and wiped away the wetness that was there.

"I want you to remember something, my love and I want you to hold in your heart always". She waited for me to acknowledge what she said, and when I gave a small nod, she continued.

"Life is all about taking chances and sometimes we won't always know what to do". "But that's part of living life and its okay to be afraid of the unknown, but never be so afraid that you stop living for yourself".

Mom pulled me up gently by arms and wrapped me tightly in an embrace.

"I know you care about us, but we care even more about you." "We want you to be happy, and whatever comes our way, we can deal with it, just as long as we know that you have everything you need."

I smiled and clung to her, inhaling her sweet floral scent. I didn't know when I would do it or if I could even gather enough courage to push forward, but somehow I would take my mom's advice. For so long, I had always put my family first and kind of pushed myself to the back burner. It was refreshing to hear my mom speak out loud what I had been thinking about for some time now. Problem was, I didn't know how my brother and sister would take to my new mindset.

"What about Aaron and Camille"? I questioned quietly, rubbing my hand across my nose.

Mom pushed me back softly and kept a gentle hold on my shoulders.

"You let me deal with those two; you just go ahead and live the life of a young and normal twenty-two year old woman".

She smiled at me and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Now up you get, little one and get dressed". "Your brother wants to get the car looked at and he thought you would like to take a ride into Port Angles with him".

I jumped up quickly and gave a small squeak of excitement. I _loved _going into the city and I especially loved going with Aaron. I was sprinting around my room, collecting my toiletries when I stopped. I dumped everything I had in my arms onto my bed and wrapped my arms tightly around my mom. She laughed softly and I felt her hands gently pat me on my back.

"Thank you, Mom". I said quietly.

I felt her squeeze me slightly before she pulled away and cupped my face.

"Go on, little one and have fun, I will see you when you get back".

She gave me another kiss on the cheek before she left me alone in my room. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I made my way towards the shower. From this day forward, I was no longer going to be afraid to form any other bonds with other people. I was going to make other connections.

And the first person on my list was named Jacob.

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A/N: Hope you guys liked it, I wanted to give you all more of a look into Naomi's family and I hope it was enjoyable. By the way the word sons-ee-ah-ray is Apache for morning sun. You can look it up if you want too, and maybe that might give you a little bit of a clue about where Naomi comes from (snickers). As always please R&R.


	9. Reunited

_**A/N: Won't hold a lot of your time here; hope you have enjoyed the story thus far. But here we go…Chap 9. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight or any characters in Twilight. All belongs to Stephanie Meyers.**_

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*Reunited*

_**Jacob's POV**_

The music blared from the stereo that sat on the floor beside my foot. I had my right arm submerged up to my elbow in the engine of an old classic ford mustang. I had been working on this car for almost six months now. Couldn't even begin to tell you how I got my hands on this wonderful piece of heaven, but I did and if it wasn't for this added distraction,

I'm pretty sure I would have gone completely insane by now.

This is what I loved to do. I loved working with my hands and more importantly, I loved everything and anything that had to do with cars. Restoring cars seemed like the only thing that kept my mind off of the straight bullshit that seemed ever present in my life.

Two years ago, I started a car restoration and auto repair business with my two pack brothers, Embry and Quil. We had decided that we wanted to be primarily located in the city, because that's where most of our customers came from. But as our rep carried and as more and more people started to get recommendations about us, our customer base stretched way passed the city limits into the suburbs of Washington State.

All in all business was decent.

I handled most of the restoration things myself because like I said, doing this is what kept me sane, and Em and Quil did most of the repair work. We all knew that I was the more mechanically inclined, so course I had to step in on several occasions with some of the more complex jobs, but for the most part, I let them handle the bulk of it.

I couldn't help but be proud about how well we were doing for ourselves. Our business helped out a lot around our reservation, and because of the money we brought in; we were able to accomplish many things that have been put off way to long because of finance issues.

I was finally able to tighten the bolt I had been trying to turn for the last couple minutes and took my arm out from the engine. I snatched the towel that was hanging out of my left back pocket and wiped my hands and arms. I loved getting dirty and greasy. To me, you weren't a true mechanic if you went home everyday with clean hands. I sat down on my work bench and took a drink of water, admiring my handy work. I was hoping to get this car up and running in the next few weeks. People were going to be shitting in their pants after they saw me in this beauty.

I was just contemplating what I wanted to eat when I saw the door to the bay area open.

I watched Quil make his way over to me and didn't even make an attempt to acknowledge him. He hadn't done anything to me per say, but I just wasn't interested in anything that guy had to say at the moment. Quil was definitely more knowledgeable when it came to the paperwork aspect of our business. If that part was left up to me or Embry, we would have been gone down for the count.

Quil was most definitely the man when it came to that, but with that being said, he could be a persistent little shit that nagged the fuck out of you until you wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. I guess that all goes with working for yourself and having your own business. I was told many times that I got pretty anal about how my cars run and how they looked.

Of course I don't believe a word of it.

Quil stopped directly in front of me, and when I didn't make a move to turn the radio down, he rolled his eyes, bent down and turned it off. I smiled. I loved doing shit that irked his nerves. I sipped the last bit of water I had left, basketball tossed the empty bottle into the trash can, stood to my feet and made my way back over to my baby.

"What's up man?" I asked Quil as I pushed by him, stuffing my hand rag back into my jean pocket.

Quil snorted as he ruffled through some papers.

"Dude, I swear sometimes I get confused between you and Paul".

I laughed, but I knew what he was implying too. Being a werewolf, we all had to take a great amount of care when it came to losing our cool. And for the most part, we all were pretty good at it. Our pack brother Paul however had the _WORST_ temper out us all, and every other second he was usually getting angry about something retarded and bursting sporadically into a big giant fur ball.

This of course just made it fun for us.

When ever we wanted to let off some steam or punch something, we would stalk out Paul, start an argument, watch him get mad and have it out. Among a few cuts and bruises, after that you would be feeling a lot better. Over the last month or so, I could say that Paul and myself got into a fight almost every other day. Didn't mean I hated the guy, I just knew where to go when I just didn't want to give a shit anymore. I loved my pack brother to death, and would do anything for him; he was just so damn easy to provoke.

It had been a couple of weeks since I saw Naomi and the good mood I had been in previously, had disappeared and back again was this black rainy cloud that seemed to have a permanent home over my head.

I just could not get my mind off of this girl.

I wanted to see her again, but no matter how much I was thinking about stalking her, I didn't. I kind of figured that if we were meant to see each other again, we would. No need to rush the issue.

"Sorry man, my attitude has been shit these last couple of weeks". I said a sheepish smile on my face.

Just because I was in a funk, didn't mean I had to take it out on everything and everyone. Quil slapped me on my back, with just a tad bit more force than was necessary.

"Good". "Because if this shit carried on any further, me and Embry was going to drag you out into the woods and beat some sense into your ass".

I laughed and turned around to face him. "In your fucking dreams".

At a glance, the whole pack of us was the same size. Same height, same shape, same everything. But as far as strength went, I was easily the strongest out of everyone, Embry following in a close second. I leaned against the front of the car and crossed my arms.

"So what's new?" I questioned, inclining my head towards the stack of papers that were in Quil's hands.

He shifted them to the side, took out one and set the rest down on one of the work benches.

"Well, I got this call a couple of weeks ago, wondering what we could do with an old school 1969 Chevy".

Almost instantly, my interest was peeked. American muscle could usually do that. Quil laughed at my expression of shear ecstasy before he continued.

"Apparently, the car has some sentimental value to them and they want to get it refurbished and remodeled starting from the inside to the outside. "I told them that it would more than likely take a couple months to finish, but they said they cool with it".

I gave Quil a slight nod and took the paper from his hand, reading over the details for myself. It looked like we were going to be doing more restoration to the car then mechanical repair. I gave Quil back the paper and turned my attention towards my project.

"Well looks like I can do most of the work myself, but I won't know if it will need some mechanically tuning until I look at the engine" I told him, my head deep in the engine now.

Quil leaned beside me as I tinkered with the radiator.

"I know, but they're here now with the car, I was just checking to see if it was cool with you". He said with a crooked smile.

I stood up straight with a sigh and slammed the hood of the car shut. Times like these were when I wanted to punch Quil in his face.

But once a little shit, always a little shit.

"Fine Quil, tell them to pull it around".

He gave me a smile and punched me in my side. I choked out a breath, and just before Quil began his jog away from me, I caught his ankle quickly and he tumbled hard to the concrete floor. I crouched above him and gave him a quick, hard jab to his rib cage before I dodged away from his flaying arms.

By this time, I was cracking the fuck up.

I was laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes. Embry stuck his head out our office that we had right on the side of the bay area, with his mouth stuffed full with pizza, saw Quil panting on the floor, gave a snort, choked on his pizza, and withdrew back into the office, coughing and hitting his chest.

I was on the floor then, clutching my stomach because I couldn't stop laughing.

No matter how much Em and Quil annoyed me, I could always count on them for a laugh. Quil brushed himself off and looked at me with a frown, rubbing his side and wincing slightly.

"Not funny". He mumbled.

When I didn't stop chuckling he turned away from me and began making his way back out.

"I'm going to go get them, open up the garage door so that we can pull the car in". He said over his shoulder to me.

I gave him a flag of my hand and began getting one of the lifts ready. I didn't really feel up to working on another car that could possibility take me a couple months to complete, but that's the nature of the business. I didn't bother about fixing my appearance because people already knew what to expect when they met a mechanic. So most of the time, being in just a pair of cargo pants with no shirt didn't bother anyone.

Just as I opened the garage doors, I saw the Chevy pull up, and I thought my jaw was going to drop down to the ground. This was going to be extremely fun. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be able to get my hands on an old school Camero. As I stood there, ogling the shit out of this car the driver got out and walked over to me.

"Hey man, How you doing".

I was forced to tear my attention away from car to the speaker. The kid looked to be about my age, maybe a year younger and he was about my height. That struck me as odd. No one came to my eye level, _No one_. I gave him a smile and shook his hand.

"What's up dude, the name is Jake, and I'm the one who is going to be working on your slice of heaven here".

He laughed at my reference towards a piece of metal, but seemed to understand none the less.

"I know, it's beautiful isn't it?" "My name's Aaron and I'm kind of hoping you can work some magic".

We gave a final shake of our hands, before I let go and started circling the car, taking some mental notes as I went. This car was perfect. And to change its original model seemed like a crime to me. But the ultimate goal was to make the customer happy, no matter what the fuck I thought about anything. But that didn't mean I couldn't give my honest opinion.

"Well to be honest man, I don't see what you want me to change, this car is in impeccable condition".

Aaron smiled as he looked at the car himself, almost as if he was thinking about a very fond memory.

"I know it is, and if it was left up to me, I wouldn't change a thing". "But my sister thinks we should get it tuned up and brought up to times". He said and gave a lazy shrug of his shoulders.

I shook my head. Women would never understand the beauty of an old school car, left in its original glory.

"Women" I muttered and the he gave a laugh.

"Indeed" he said.

I began going over some options that I could possibly do, when the bay door open.

"Oh I see you guys have met". Quil said, a little too loudly as he made his way towards us.

He was in his business mode now.

He shook Aaron's hand with a smile on his face.

"Thanks again for keeping in touch". He said. "Your sister was just telling me how much you have heard about our work".

Quil turned to me then, extending an arm behind him.

"Jake, this is Naomi and this is her car that you will be working on".

As her name left his mouth, I thought I had stopped breathing. She hadn't seen me yet, but when her eyes finally met mine they widened. I didn't think I would ever stare into the brown-sugar colored orbs again.

And then the rain cloud that had perched itself over my head, went away.

I couldn't stop the huge grin that came to my face even if I wanted too.

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A/N: Sorry if anything in this chapter is mentioned wrong about the cars. I don't know a lot about them, so I was just going as I went. Hope you enjoyed and as always please R&R.


	10. Content

_**A/N: YAY! They have finally met back up! So what's in store for these two? And when the heck are we going to find out what Naomi is trying to protect her family from? *snickers mischievously*. All in due time loves. Now on with chapter 10…Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyers does.**_

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*Content*

_**Naomi's POV**_

After the talk with Mom, me and Aaron never did get to take dad's car into the city that day. We ended up having to take Camille with us and we spent the majority of our time shopping for some clothes. Then the next couple weeks later, we had all decided to look for jobs. It was a conscience decision on all our parts. We didn't want mom to continue to front the load for us three, no matter how much she said she didn't mind.

Aaron got hired to work for a construction company, Camille worked at a cute little café, doing what she loved and that was cooking and baking for others, and for me, I got hired at this quiet and pleasant bookstore. We didn't make a whole lot of money, but what we did make was enough to help with the little things.

Aaron developed very good carpentry skills, and a lot of times were able to use his knowledge to help fix many things around the house. Camille got to try out a lot of recipes on us, not that we complained, and brought home food every night from the café that were left over. My job didn't really offer anything that spectacular to the plate, but the money I made, I used to buy my own clothes so that Mom didn't have to worry about me when it came to shopping, and when needed I helped with paying for the groceries.

We didn't have a fabulous lifestyle, but we were comfortable.

I had been up for a couple hours when I marched myself into our garage and stared at dad's car, now my car. He had given it to me for my eighteenth birthday and for the most part I kept everything the same, I had only wanted to get it looked at to make sure everything was still running okay. But as I sat there, I suddenly had the complete urge to change this car to _MY_ liking. I had been living so long, wanting to keep dad's memory and his legacy alive, but after the talk I had with Mom, I was going to start living for _ME. _

So I stormed back upstairs, screamed at Aaron to get up, and then the next thing I knew we were driving into town. I wanted to go to the shop I had called to a couple weeks ago when I originally just wanted the car to get a tune up. And luck would just so have it, that the place was also a restoration shop. I almost couldn't contain my excitement, bouncing happily in the passenger seat, as we pulled up into the parking lot. There were four cars out front, shining brightly, displaying the craftsmanship and skills of the people who worked here.

As me and Aaron got out, a very tall, handsome guy came out to meet us. He told us his name was Quil and that he was one of the guys who owned the shop. Quil then told my brother that he could take the car around back and when Aaron got back into the car, Quil and I walked through the shop. He introduced me to the other owner, Embry, who was also very tall and handsome. Embry shook my hand softly and gave me a wink. I could automatically feel my cheeks begin to heat up and I bit my bottom lip, nervously. But being around these two was very comfortable. They asked me a few questions about the car, where I was from, how long I have been in town and so forth. After a while I found myself laughing. They were hilarious and cracked on each other almost as if they were brothers. They did kind of looked alike, so I guess being related was a possibility.

Embry excused himself shortly to answer a phone, and Quil began leading me through some double doors that were off to the side. He said he was going to introduce me to the last guy who owned the shop and who was more than likely going to be the one who worked on my car, because as Quil put it "his skills were the shit".

As we walked through the doors, I heard Quil speak to my brother and to who I guess was the other owner, but my eyes were glued to the other cars that occupied the area. One word to describe them was _GORGEOUS_. Whoever this guy was, he definitely had mad skills. Quil had stopped walking and I stood behind him, still eyeballing the works of art around me. I heard the men share some words before I saw Quil out the corner of my eye mention towards me.

"Jake, this is Naomi and this is her car that you will be working on".

My heart starting pounding hard in my chest at the sound of his name. I tore my eyes away from the cars and looked in front of me. Jacob wasn't wearing a shirt and his chest was smudged with oil and grease. He had on some loose fitting cargo pants that hung loosely from his hips and had a rag hanging out from his back pocket. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat. He was breathtakingly handsome.

When my eyes finally reached his face, my heart fluttered. He had the biggest grin on his face, and I couldn't help but smile back.

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Jacob's POV

Whatever Aaron and Quil were talking about, I heard none of it. My entire six senses were completely focused on the woman in front of me. Naomi gave me a small shy smile and once again pulled that bottom lip in between her teeth. She wore those thick raven tresses up in a messy ponytail with few strands falling in her face. She had on a grey college sweatshirt and some black tights with a pair of tall tan Ugg boots. She looked like she just threw on some clothes to make a quick errand, but to me she couldn't have looked more beautiful.

Most girls had this wild preconception that they had to walk around in heels and makeup all day to catch my attention. While that stuff was sexy on certain occasions, I would much rather have girls be in their natural element around me.

"Hey Jake man, Did you hear me"?

I snapped my head in Quil's direction and gave him a sheepish grin. No, I hadn't heard him at all, because in all honesty I really didn't give a shit about anything else right beside the beautiful creature in front of me. But she was a customer and I had to act like a business man.

"Sorry dude, what did you say"?

Quil gave me a weird look, but moved on.

"I was just telling Aaron that, depending on what they want done, it could take a couple of months to complete, especially if we have to order parts".

I nodded and made my way over to their car. I could feel Naomi's eyes on me, but I had to focus. I leaned against it casually and looked over at Aaron.

"Well what do you want done"? I questioned.

Aaron gave a shrug and inclined his head towards Naomi. "It's not up to me, it's her car."

My eyes met hers again, and I could feel the corners of my mouth lift up. Quil looked between us, but I couldn't read his face.

"Well". He began. "Aaron why don't we go and get the paperwork together while they figure out the details".

Aaron shook my hand again before he followed behind Quil; he stopped beside Naomi, said something in a Language I wasn't familiar with, and disappeared through the doors.

And now we were alone.

I didn't move from my spot perched on the hood of her car. I just continued to stare at her. Naomi caught my eye again and gave a small laugh. She began walking around the huge garage, looking at the cars up close.

"Why do you keep staring at me like that"? She asked, her fingers running over the paint of a cherry red convertible.

At first I remained silent, my brain trying to remember how to speak.

"Because I didn't think I would see you again."

She stopped and turned to look at me, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Yeah me either".

I stood up and walked over to her, not really to certain about what to say. "So do you know what you want done to the car"?

When in doubt about what to say, just start talking about cars.

Naomi stared up at me, and I wasn't even sure what she was looking for.

"Work your magic". She said softly.

I swallowed. What was this girl doing to me?

I laughed and looked back at the car over my shoulder.

"Are you sure you want to leave it up to me"? I ask, chuckling softly.

"I trust you".

I heard her say then, and I turned my head back to her.

She had her head cocked slightly to the side and looked goddamn adorable. I really had to focus. I reached into my pants pocket and pulled out one of my business cards before handing over to her. Naomi took in her small hand and gave me a questioned look.

"That's my card; it has my cell and work number on it". "Give me a call if you think of anything you want done".

I picked up some tools then and walked over to her car. I popped the hood to take a look inside when she spoke.

"Can I call you even if it has nothing to do with the car"?

I dropped the tool I currently had in my hand and it fell with a loud clunk to the floor. I didn't remove my head from the under the hood because I was trying to get the huge grin on face under control. I was hoping she was going to say exactly what she just did. I stood up straight and gave her a kind smile.

"You sure can sweetheart".

Naomi's face lit up, her cheekbones rising to almost touch the bottom of her eyes. Her fingers began fumbled with a string on her sweatshirt.

"Can I ask you a question"? Her voice had dropped so low that even with my heightened hearing; I almost missed it

"Shoot". I said.

She bit her lip again and I groaned inwardly. She had to stop doing that.

Naomi lowered her eyes to the floor, refusing to look at me.

"I know this might sound weird". She started, blowing out a sigh. Then her eyes locked with mine.

"But, can I have a hug Jacob"?

I was taken back for just a second, before I smiled. I took the rag from my back pocket and wiped off my hands and arms and tossed it onto a nearby work bench when I was finished. Then I opened my arms wide.

"Come here". I said softly.

Naomi gave me a blinding smile before she took three huge steps and threw herself into my chest. My arms closed around her and I took a deep breath, my nose being filled with the smell of vanilla and coconut. I felt her bury her face in my chest, her nose tickling me.

"Thanks Jake". I heard he mumble, her small hands gripping my back gently.

I rested my chin on the top of her head, not yet ready to pull away.

"For what"? I asked.

Naomi pulled away slightly to look up at me.

"For becoming my friend".

Then she stood up on her toes and gave me a kiss to my cheek. When she was back on her feet, I lifted a hand and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, allowing my fingers to run down her jaw line softly. I heard her inhale softly and my eyes went to her lips. They were slightly parted and were a rosy pink color from the biting she did earlier.

I wanted to kiss her.

I knew it was a dumb idea. I didn't really know her and she didn't really know me, but I was acting on pure instinct. And that instinct was telling me to pull her closer and kiss her. But somehow the little rational part of my brain came to the forefront and the only thing I did was give her a smile.

"Not a problem" I told her and was rewarded with another one of those beautiful smiles.

In the distance, we heard her brother call for her and reluctantly I began pulling away from. Aaron and Quil came from around the front and saw us both just before we completely got out of each other's arms. Aaron looked at me with a mix of contemplation and anger, but I ignored him and directed my question to Naomi.

"How are you getting back"?

She gave me a smile and a quick shrug of her shoulders.

"Don't worry, we'll manage".

She walked passed me and made her way over towards her brother. She said a quick bye to Quil before she looked back over her shoulder at me.

"Bye Jake". She said quietly, throwing me another smile before she took her brother's hand, who was now staring me down, gave him a tug and together they disappeared.

When Quil turned to look at me, I'm pretty sure I had the biggest, craziest grin on my face.

"Man, what the fuck was that all about"? He asked.

I laughed loudly and stuck my head back under the hood of the car.

"If you only knew".

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A/N: As Always please R&R. *Smooches*


	11. Beginnings

_**A/N: Soooooooo sorry for the long wait for updates. I have two more weeks of school left and as you can probably imagine, life has been crazy. Between school and work and being a mommy, I haven't really had the time to update. BUT HERE I AM ANYWAY! I should be really starting my 10 page paper but I have decided to update here instead. I'm sure I am going to regret this when I'm up till about 5 in the morning trying to complete said paper, but what the hell. With that…..here is Chap 11. Hopefully once school is over I will be able to devote my entire time here.**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own twilight, Stephanie Meyers does**_

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*Beginnings*

_**Naomi's POV**_

_Aaron didn't_ say a word to me on the entire way back home. I noticed, but I really didn't pay it any mind. My thoughts were completely occupied with Jacob. I hadn't expected him to agree to give me a hug, and I couldn't even believe I had asked that out loud. But when Jake had said yes, I couldn't contain my excitement. His arms felt like heaven wrapped around me and he smelled woodsy and masculine.

I had made a friend and I was damn proud of myself for it.

I felt a sharp nip at the back of my leg and I gave a shout in surprise. Aaron had brought my attention back to the present, and not a moment too soon, because I had almost collided with a tree. When we neared our home, our pace slowed and I couldn't stop feeling giddy. I was just putting back on my tights, when I saw Aaron out the corner of my eyes.

"So you knew that guy back there"? His voice was serious and the smile that was planted on my face slowly slid off.

I looked at him fully and studied his posture. His jaw was locked so tight that I could see a vein pulsating in his neck. He had his arms crossed as he leaned up against a tree and his eyes were intense as he stared directly at me. The only time I had seen Aaron like this was when there was something that was threatening his family. But I couldn't wrap my head around what exactly that was.

"Yes I do". I told him quietly, watching him closely for a reaction.

I knew my brother well and I had to stay on my toes. Aaron laughed, but it wasn't filled with humor, it was quite empty.

"You do realize what he is right"? "What they all are"?

When I gave him a confused look, he laughed another empty, soulless laugh. I hated when he got this way. Always so guarded and cautious.

"What are you talking about Aaron"? I asked.

He stalked over to me then and I could see the anger dancing around in his ebony eyes.

"Come the fuck on Naomi". He yelled suddenly. "Couldn't you smell them"?

I bit my lip but I stared defiantly back into my brother's angry face. Of course I had smelled them, I had recognized that scent as soon as I smelled it on Jacob the first night we met. But that didn't mean a thing. I rolled my eyes and pushed my way passed Aaron.

"Of course I smelled them, but that doesn't mean anything".

He grabbed my arm roughly then and pulled me back towards his chest. This time I growled at him and tried to remove my arm from his grasp. Aaron ignored my attempts, and placed his face inches from mine.

"You are not to see him again". He snarled softly.

I was finally able to break free and pushed myself away. Angry tears clouded my vision and my hands shook with the effort of holding it together. A couple of minutes ago I was overjoyed about the prospect of having a friend and now, here was my brother, demanding that I never talk to Jake again.

Aaron's expression softened a bit and he took a small step towards me. When he reached out to touch my arm, I jerked away from him and stared at the ground. My siblings would never understand how much it would mean to me to just live a somewhat normal life, with people that were involved in it that weren't necessarily my family.

I heard Aaron give a sigh, but I refused to look in his direction. "Naomi you know why I can't let you". "You already know what their kind thinks about our people".

I shook my head, still not ready to believe the old tales of long ago. Times were different now and who's to say that things haven't changed. "

You don't know what they think Aaron". I said softly.

He blew some air out in frustration and I briefly saw him run his fingers through this hair roughly.

"Dammit Na, I'm trying to protect you." "We know what they are and what they can do, they don't like our kind, it's been proven decades ago, I don't want you getting hurt".

Aaron said that last part quietly and I couldn't help but give a small smile. But I wasn't giving this up, not when I was making such good progress.

"I'm not a little girl anymore Aaron, I can take care of myself".

He smiled at me, brushing some hair softly out my face.

"I know you're not, and I know you are more than capable of handling things on your own".

Aaron frowned then and moved away from me, his fists clenching and unclenching. "It's them that concern me".

I watched as my brother sent his fist flying into a nearby tree, the bark splitting with a loud crack. I wasn't surprised. Anger and Aaron went quite well together.

But that was not going to stop me from what I wanted to do. I was dead set on living my life the way I wanted too, and to make friends with WHOMEVER I pleased. I could care less about who or what they were. My mind was already made up.

But that didn't mean I had to tell my siblings though.

I gave a loud and slightly dramatic sigh. I was known as the somewhat drama queen of my family, so I had to make this believable. "What about my car"? I asked softly. "I want it to turn out nice; you know they have the best place in town for that kind of work".

I chose my words carefully; I couldn't have Aaron suspecting anything out of the ordinary. He turned sideways to look at me, his head resting on the tree he sent his fist flying into. He was taking short and deep breaths, trying to keep himself under control. After a moment, Aaron stood up straight, running a hand wearily down his face.

"I guess you can at least get it finished, but then…"

I waved my hand and cut him off. "Yeah I know, then after that I am not to have any contact with them anymore". I said this with a frown on my face but decided against crossing my arms. I couldn't over do it.

Aaron walked over to me, and gently caressed the side of my face. "It's for your own good, baby sis". He said quietly. "I have to take care of you; Camille and Mom, you guys are everything to me".

I couldn't help a smile from gracing my lips. But like I said before, my mind was completely made up. I gave Aaron a small kiss on the cheek.

"I know, and I'm sorry".

My brother smiled and gave me a brief hug. "Love ya sis". He said, his nose buried in my hair. I turned into him, my face in his chest, and my arms wrapped around his middle. "Love ya too bro".

Aaron pulled back a little to give me a kiss on my forehead before we broke apart.

"C'mon little one, let's see if Camille's home so she can make us some grub." He yanked my ponytail briefly before he began sprinting towards our front porch.

I stood still for a moment.

A small part me felt like I was betraying my family's trust by going on with what I was planning to do and a bigger part of me felt like it was time for me to start living. My inner conscience told myself that eventually, after the initial anger wore off, that my siblings would get over it. I trudged slowly up to our house, my brain working overtime with everything that was flowing through it, but my resolve was strongly intact.

* * *

The next day I waited until everyone was out of the house and on their way to work before I started executing my plan. I was the only one left at home because I had the day off, and I needed the seclusion. It was still rather early so I decided to pass the time by doing some cleaning, first my room then the rest of the house. By twelve o'clock my nerves were getting the best of me and I found I couldn't wait any longer.

I had been staring at the small square card for about twenty minutes before I snatched it up and marched my way over to the phone. My fingers quickly dialed the numbers before I had a chance to change my mind and I listened as it began to ring.

"Jacob Black speaking, how may I help you"?

God his voice was just so soothing. I swallowed hard and tried to focus. I cleared my throat before I uttered a word. Didn't need to sound like a guy.

"Hey Jacob, it's me Naomi." I heard him take a quick intake of air, before he spoke again.

"Hey, how are you? What's going on?"

I could hear the smile in his voice and it made me smile in return, easing my nervousness into nothing. I took the phone with me over to the couch and plopped down.

"Nothing much, I was just giving you a ring, of course I can call you at a better time if you're busy".

I could have smacked myself. Just because I didn't have to work, didn't mean nobody else did. Jacob owned one of the busiest shops in Seattle; of course he wouldn't have time in the middle of the day. I closed my eyes and bit my lip, thinking to myself that maybe this wasn't such a great idea. I heard him laugh on the other end and my heart began to pound in my chest.

"Naw its cool, I was actually just about to go grab something to eat."

I sighed a little and gave a nervous little chuckle. "Oh ok". There was silence between us for a moment before Jacob started speaking again.

"So have you decided what you wanted done to the car"?

I blew out some air and shook my head, as if he could see me. "No not really, I haven't really thought about it much".

Jacob laughed again, and I found myself loving the sound of it.

"Well, if you want maybe you can come meet me at this restaurant in the city, right down the street from the shop; we can discuss your car and grab a bite to eat in process".

I sat up quickly, my heart beating a mile per minute. I had only wanted to call Jacob and make a bit of small talk and let that be it. But now here I was being offered to have a sit down lunch with him.

"Um, well I really wouldn't have a way to get there; I don't have a car to use at the moment".

I was somewhat hoping that this was enough to deter him away from the idea and maybe suggest it for another time, like a time where my nerves would be in a better position to handle something like this.

"That's cool, I'll come scoop you up, today is actually my day off so I don't really mind". I heard Jake say then and I couldn't form any words to actually reply back to him.

He sensed my delay and cleared his throat. "That's only if you want too".

I took a deep breath and tried to steady the consistent heavy beating in my chest. I briefly went over the conversation I had with Aaron yesterday and his warning bounced around in my head. Then I heard my mom, her soft and gentle words of encouragement, and her firm goal for me to start thinking about myself. I smiled to then and began making my way towards my room.

"That's fine Jacob, here is my address".

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Jacob's POV.

_**Shit! **_

That was the word that describe how I felt when I got out of bed this morning. I felt like complete shit. Not to mention that I hadn't got to see my bed until five o'clock this morning.

I had been up all night dealing with an issue that had come up in the middle of nowhere. Some rouge vampire's decided that they wanted to come waltzing into our territory. Don't know if they were together or not, but that didn't really matter at that present time. I had only four things on my mind when I got the information.

Vampires. One our lands. Not the Cullen's. Kill.

Too bad it was only Seth and Brady out on patrol when it happened. Of course I knew they could handle their own, but as Alpha I didn't feel comfortable with two of our youngest wolves out alone. So when Seth's piecing howl filled the night air, it literally took me ten seconds to jump out my bed, strip of my clothing, phase in mid-stride and began galloping towards my pack mates.

I was instantly bombarded with Seth and Brady's thoughts as our minds connected. I could see through their eyes as if I was running right beside them, and I could smell the putrid, sweet scent of those bloodsuckers as it burned my nose. It seemed like there was about four of them, a lot more than what I was expecting. My legs pumped harder, pushing my body faster through the thick trees and I let out a loud howl.

I needed Embry and Paul.

Those two were closer to me in strength and in speed. Paul had an incredible sense of his surroundings and Embry could execute an effortless attack within five seconds.

_Hold on Seth, Brady, I'm on my way_.

I felt Seth acknowledgement of what I said, but he never broke his stride.

_There's four of them Jake, maybe five about twelve miles northeast of here, do you want us to split up? _

I thought about that for a second. Brady was a lot quicker but Seth was stronger. There was four vampires confirmed, maybe five and that would mean one of them would have to take on three at once. I didn't like those odds.

_No, try to keep them together, don't let them get spaced out, we are coming. _

I felt Seth nod to acknowledge me again before he became completely focused on what he was doing. I could sense the two of them up ahead before the sudden intrusion of three more minds connected with my own.

_So what do we have? _I could feel Embry's excitement as he ran to catch up with me.

_Four rouge vampires, maybe five, Seth and Brady are almost close. _

I felt Paul then, his anger rising so quickly that it almost staggered my stride for a second.

_Fucking Bloodsuckers, how the hell did they even get over here without us noticing? _

I sighed loudly, knowing they heard me. I couldn't even comprehend my damn self how the fuck they even crossed the line without their sickly sweet smell reaching our noses. But before I could offer up a response I was abruptly cut off.

_Can we skip the fucking Q&A session and just get to my brother please. _

Leah was pissed, not that it was anything out of the ordinary, but when it had to do with her baby brother, her normal range of pissed off syndromes were increased tenfold. No matter how many times we told her Seth could hold his own, in her eyes he would always be her baby brother. I concentrated hard on where the three of them were.

Leah was in front, as I expected because she was our fastest. Embry and Paul flanked her right and her left. A perfect formation. I could feel Seth and Brady a few paces in front of me, their minds blank and calculating. They were not attacking, doing exactly what I had told them to do. I could see through their thoughts that there were indeed five vampires in total.

_Seth, Brady I'm right behind you, keep them together. _I slowed down and stalked my way slowly towards the clearing. _Leah, when you reach us, I need you on my left and Paul I want you to my right, Em you bring up the rear behind Brady. _

I needed our formation to be impeccable. I could feel the other three closing in on us as I prepared myself to join Seth and Brady up ahead.

_Got it. _Leah reaffirmed her mind completely on our task and protecting her brother.

I made myself visible and walked passed our two younger wolves to stand in front of them, my nose burning from the horrible smell that filled the air.

_Can we now_? Brady asked then, the fury and excitement rolling off of him in huge waves. If I wasn't completely in Alpha mode, I would have laughed.

That kid was so much like Paul it was crazy.

_Not yet, wait for the others. _

I growled at the parasites, my muzzle pulling back to bear my sharp canines. I saw their blood red eyes dart back and forth between the three of us and my fur prickled with the need to attack. But we were still out numbered. I had to be patient.

I felt our other three members join us then and made the formation I asked them too just a minute before. Our pack was a fined oiled machine. Every aspect of our team fit together and complemented each other so that we performed flawlessly. I heard Leah give a particular fierce growl beside me and instead of telling her to calm down, I followed her lead.

This shit was unacceptable and these leeches had to die.

_Now? _Brady and Paul asked together.

I didn't answer, but I knew that they had felt me telling them to hesitate. I was watching the leeches, waiting for their reactions. They were wary of us and I could tell they didn't know what they wanted to do. Above from the horrible stench lingering in the air, I smelt something else.

I smelt fear.

_Ya'll smell that?_ I asked my pack mates. Leah and Embry gave me a silent yes and Seth gave me a subtle nod. Brady was so engrossed with the prospect of a kill; I don't even think he heard me.

_These bitches are scared._ Paul laughed.

Then our attention was brought back sharply to what was in front of us. The bloodsuckers looked at us one final time before they turned with their sickening graceful movements and disappeared into the trees behind them, a few going in different directions.

Fucking Cowards. We all moved at once.

Leah broke off and went after one that staggered off to her left. Paul and myself took off towards the two others that were in front us, which left Seth, Brady and Embry to deal with the ones that were left behind. Paul caught up to the vamp that was closest to him and I heard the sound of shredding metal as his teeth sliced through a torso. He was making quick work of the leech without much effort.

I cornered mine farther up ahead. The bloodsucker had stopped running and crouched in front of me, preparing to attack. I didn't even get in a defensive stance. I just walked back and forth in front of it, my eyes never leaving its face. The leech lunged for me blindly and I easily side-stepped, my teeth latching onto its elbow and pulling the arm entirely from its socket. The vamp gave an eerily high-pitched scream of pain that threatened to burst my eardrums.

The leech lunged for me again and this time I met it full on. It tried to wrap its arms around me, but I was too fucking big. I placed a huge paw on its chest and roughly pushed it to the ground, pinning it there. The bloodsucker kept trying to swipe at me, emitting angry hisses and snarls, but its arms weren't long enough and I was too tall. One of its fucking claws caught me on the side of my shoulder and I could feel my skin as it split open.

I growled in pain and in extreme anger.

I used my other paw and stomped on the same arm it used to tag me with, putting my entire body weight on the limp before I heard it crack. The leech screamed again, throwing its head back a bit in pain.

That was all the room I needed.

I brought my teeth down and latched onto its neck, gave a hard jerk and ripped its head from its body, the sound of ripping metal vibrated loudly into the quiet of the night. The screaming stopped and I made quick work of rest. I phased quickly back to my human body to get my lighter. I collected all the pieces together in a pile before setting them on fire, purple smoke curling gracefully into the air. I phased back and began making my way back towards the others.

Paul met me halfway, his thoughts blending with my own, each of us sharing with each other what just happened.

_That was a nasty cut, how does it feel? _I gave Paul a mental shrug of my shoulders.

_I'll live. _

Leah came up beside me on my right; her body tiny compared to me and Paul's huge frames. _Bet them fuckers wish they hadn't wandered into this part of the woods. _

Paul gave a low howl in agreement and Leah yipped in return. Together we made our back to the other three just as they were finishing up. Embry pretty much stood back and allowed Seth and Brady to take care of the last two, only stepping in when one of the leeches tried to make an escape. The two younger wolves were in sync with each other and it took them little time to destroy the leeches. Embry phased and began collecting the pieces of limbs and in no time had made his own, purple colored fire pile.

I phased then, followed by the others and we all began pulling on our shorts. Leah jogged over behind a bush, before she returned seconds later pulling a dress down passed her hips.

"Well that was fun" Seth said, his eyes watching the smoke lift into the sky.

I remained silent. While it did feel good to see some kind of action, it unsettled me a little bit to know that five vampires were able to penetrate our defenses.

"This cannot happen again". I said quietly, the others nodded in agreement with me.

I sent Seth and Brady home to rest, after giving them praise for alerting everyone in such a quick and efficient matter. Then I directed Leah, Embry and Paul to comb the area, checking to see if anymore trails were discovered. I stayed close to the reservation, my senses on overdrive. The other three returned back to me with no news, no trails being discovered. I sent them home, but remained back to double check for myself. My mind was still reeling from the sheer unbelievable fact that these fucking leeches got onto our land.

I wasn't going to let this shit happen again, that much was for certain.

So needless to say, when I was finally satisfied with the way things seemed, the sun was beginning to come up when I finally crawled back into bed. But I couldn't sleep. Too many things rolling around in my brain.

I needed to speak with Sam.

Even though he had given up the pack life, to live comfortably with his wife Emily and two kids, he was still someone I could go to when I had issues. I had gotten maybe two hours of shut eye before I finally given up on sleep all together. I dragged my feet as I walked to the bathroom to throw some water on my face. I caught sight of my shoulder, and saw an angry red welt, the scar almost disappearing. By the time I was finished with my personal hygiene, it was twelve o'clock. I didn't have much planned for my day, maybe get in a quick workout, but for the most part that was it. I had the day off today so the only thing I was really looking forward to doing was catching up with the sleep I lost last night.

I heard my cell phone ring in my bedroom, and I took my time getting too it, figuring it was either Quil or Embry bothering me about something with the shop.

But as I picked up the phone and spoke into it, I heard a voice that I was in no way expecting. I almost dropped the damn thing in shock.

Naomi sounded nervous as she announced who she was, and I couldn't stop the silly grin that crossed my face. We made small talk about her car, me asking if she had any ideas and her saying she had no idea what she wanted. Before I could stop myself, I was asking her to join me for lunch, making up the excuse that we could use that time to go over what she wanted done to her car. If we never talked about the car, it wouldn't even faze me. I just wanted to see her again. She was hesitating over the line and I almost doubted she would say yes.

But before I knew it she was telling me her address and I was running around like a mad man looking for a pen and a piece of paper. Before we hung up I told Naomi I would be there in twenty minutes and she gave me a soft confirmation that she would be ready.

Sleep was completely thrown out the window then without a second thought. My day was slowly turning around for the better.

Didn't take me long to get ready, and with five minutes to spare I found myself pulling up in front of a small but quaint two story house. I put my car in park, cut the engine and got out. The garden in front was neatly put together with the grass cut. I took the steps two at a time and rung the doorbell, placing my hands into my pockets, leaning comfortably on the railing to my left.

After about two minutes, I heard the locks on the door being undone, before it was swung open.

"Hey". Naomi greeted me softly, her cheeks a slight rosy color.

She wore a green sweater that hugged her just right and complemented her mocha skin complexion perfectly. She had on some dark denim jeans that brought specific attention to her hips and some short tan boots.

God! Could this woman get any more breathtaking?

"Hey yourself ms lady, are you ready?

Naomi gave me a quick nod before she dashed back in, grab her purse and closed the door behind her.

"So where are we eating? She asked. "I am freaking starving".

I laughed and earned a small smile from her as I opened up the passenger side door. "Don't worry sweetheart, I got you covered".

I was awarded with another one of those brilliant smiles before I closed the door behind her. I made my way towards the driver's side, my face hurting from the permanent grin that always seemed to find a way onto my face whenever I was around her.

I wouldn't get my hopes up just yet, but I was somewhat hoping that I would get to take her out to eat on a much more regular basis.

_**

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**_

A/N: Hope you guys are still with me and once again sorry for the long wait for an update. This chapter was a bit longer than most of them. Also I kind of want to establish a friendship between these two before we can jump straight into the full blown romance. A good foundation is always needed for a good relationship. Please review.


	12. Comfort

_**A/N: Once again I am sorry for the long wait between updates; life has been crazy especially with the holidays coming up. But without further ado here is Chapter 12.**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own anything, all belongs to Stephanie Meyers**_

_**

* * *

**_

*Comfort*

_**Naomi's POV**_

It felt like I had a whole cage of fluttering butterflies in my stomach because I was just that nervous. I didn't know what to do, how to act or what to say. I had never been around anyone, alone except for my brother and sister. What made it more nerve wracking was that Jacob was so incredibly handsome that I found it hard to even imagine seeing someone like him with someone as plain as me. With that in mind, I became even more nervous, biting my bottom lip vigorously.

"Do you do that a lot when you're nervous"?

His voice startled me out of my own self conscience thoughts that I almost jumped in my seat. I braved a glance in his direction. Jacob had one hand on the steering and the other resting comfortably on his knee. He was bobbing his head to the music that was coming through the radio, his fingers tapping softly on the wheel. He turned briefly to look at me and caught me staring before I could turn away pretending that I wasn't. He gave me a wink and laughed to himself quietly. I was pretty certain that my cheeks were a very deep colored red by now.

"Do what often"? My voice cracked a bit and I cleared my throat.

_God Naomi, Get it together. _

The car had stopped at a red right and it gave Jacob a chance to turn completely towards me. He had a smile on his face and his eyes trailed my torso before they finally settled on my face.

"When you get nervous, you always bite your lip, I just wanted to know if it was a habit of yours".

The light turned green then and Jacob had to divert his attention back to the road. I couldn't help the small smile that came to my lips. Had he really noticed that about me?

"Well to be honest, I never realized I did that, but I guess I do have a tendency to do that when I am nervous".

Jacob laughed, glancing my way again briefly before turning back. "I don't want you to be nervous around me".

I laughed then, starting to become just a little bit more relaxed. "_You_ don't make me nervous Jacob, but if I want to be honest, this situation kind of does".

A small frown crossed his face and I found that it didn't suit him at all. I rather preferred seeing Jake with a smile on his face. "We don't have to do this Naomi if it makes you uncomfortable, I don't mind just talking over the phone".

I smiled and braced my nerves, before I turned and faced him, our eyes connecting. Jake was looking at me with complete concern, almost as if my well-being was the only thing that mattered to him. I couldn't place what I was feeling in that moment but I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face, greedily taking in everything that was him.

"Its fine Jake, I need this".

I had said that so quietly that I wasn't even sure he had heard me. But Jacob gave me a nod, a small smile and turned his attention completely to the road in front of us. I sighed and leaned my head back against the head rest. I could do this, I could do this. After a short while we pulled into the parking lot of a small restaurant called _Crescent Moon_. Jacob pulled the car into a space and cut the engine. I was just getting my purse together when all of a sudden my door was being pulled open and I stared wide-eyed into Jake's smiling face.

When the hell did he get out the car? And how the freak did he made it to my side so damn fast?

My expression must have been hilarious to look at because Jacob burst out in boisterous laughter.

"You act like you've just seen something crazy by that look on your face".

I snapped out of my shock and placed my hand into his outstretched one and allowed him to help me out the car. "I was just trying to figure out how you got to my side so fast that's all".

Jacob coughed suddenly and I had to pat his back rather hard to help get his coughing under control.

"You okay"? I asked, absentmindedly rubbing small circles on his lower back. He cleared his throat once before I got one of those incredible smiles.

"Yeah I'm cool, just wasn't expecting you too see that".

Before I could ask him what he meant, he placed a strong arm around my waist and led me into the restaurant. The place wasn't upscale classy, but it had a comfortable, hometown feel to it. Jacob shook hands with the hostess and made some small talk. Apparently he frequented this place often. Before I knew it, we were being led to our table, which sat beside on of the huge windows that allowed us a great view of the people outside as they shopped. As we took our seats and was handed our menus, my nerves jumped back into overdrive.

I had absolutely no clue what to talk about in the car, and I damn sure didn't have a flipping clue about what to say now. I wasn't an expert in one on one lunch/dinner table etiquette. I tried to get my mind off of my dilemma and took a glance at the menu. Everything looked good and I was starving. I hadn't eaten since breakfast and that was a good three hours ago. I could eat the whole appetizer menu and half of the entrees without much trouble. But I wasn't with my family, who knew how my appetite was, and I didn't need Jacob running away in horror.

So even as my stomach gave a particular loud growl that I prayed Jake didn't hear, I settled myself on a grilled chicken salad. I would just have to raid our fridge when I got back. When I removed the menu from in front of my face, Jake was staring right at me, his head propped up slightly by his hand, a small smile playing around his lips.

"What"? I blurted out even before I could stop myself.

The shock of him staring directly at me was nerve wracking. His grin widened, his ebony black eyes continuing their observation.

"Have you decided what you want to eat"? Jake asked, completely ignoring my question. I smiled, despite my nervousness. He just kind of had that effect on a person.

"Um, just a salad".

Jacob raised an eyebrow at me, the amused smirk still on his lips. "That doesn't seem like it's going to be enough for someone whose stomach is talking right now".

I was so shocked that he had heard my stomach growl earlier that I couldn't hold back the loud laugh even if I wanted too. I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the noise because people were beginning to stare over at our table. Jacob laughed along with me, his shoulders shaking slightly. He reached over then and softly placed his hand on the one that I had covering my mouth. He pushed down gently until my hand was resting on the table.

"Don't hide yourself". Jake spoke softly, his thumb making small comforting circles on the top of my hand. I blushed, but I continued to hold his gaze.

"I didn't want to disturb anyone".

This was true; it was a quiet atmosphere and my loud outburst wasn't really what you would call welcoming. Jacob snorted and I could have sworn he rolled his eyes.

"Fuck these people". He said loudly, a couple folks turning to stare at our table in shock. I choked on my laugh and leaned over quickly without thinking and placed a finger on his lips.

"Ssshhhh Jake people are beginning to stare".

For a second, Jacob didn't say a word, his eyes staring at my finger before he moved them to my face and I swear his eyes were darker. I swallowed the lump in my throat and began to sit back, but not before he gave me a cute smirk and a quick peck on my finger. I laughed nervously and pushed and piece of hair that had fallen from my bun behind my ear.

God what was he doing to me?

Jacob still had a small smile on his face when the waitress came over to take our order. He didn't even consult with me if it was okay when he ordered us both cheeseburgers; his was a triple, with the works with a side of large fries and two vanilla milkshakes. I smiled and shook my head as our waitress took our menus and went to place our order. I guess I should have been offended but I really wasn't.

"Bold aren't we"? I asked, taking a small sip of my water just too kind of give myself something to do.

Jacob chuckled softly before picking up a piece of bread and took a huge bite. He chewed slowly and swallowed before answering.

"I kind of got the feeling that you were really starving, but was trying to be a lady and didn't want to eat like a guy, so I took it upon myself to save you the trouble".

I couldn't stop my grin, shaking my head at the man who sat in front of me. Was he born with such aggressiveness or was it acquired over time?

"For real though Naomi, who don't have to hide who you are around me, you can just be you".

I sighed and set back in my chair.

I had been hiding myself for so long that I didn't think I even knew how to be normal around anyone who wasn't my family. I looked over at the gorgeous specimen and studied him. Jake's face was so welcoming that I found it hard to not want to be anything but honest with him, especially since I wanted to at least attempt and build a friendship. I was going to try and let go, slowly allowing myself to open up some doors that have long since been closed and locked.

I leaned forward a bit, my arms resting on the table. "I'm new to all this Jacob and I really have no idea how this is supposed to go".

There it was, my first open confession about my lack of know-how with, well, everything. Jacob gave me a warm smile and reached over and gave my hand a small squeeze.

"I kind of got that impression a while ago".

I blushed and he laughed but gave my hand another squeeze that let me know he was just teasing.

"This is no pressure on you sweetheart, I'm not going to propose or anything in the next five minutes, this is completely innocent".

Jacob really had a way of making a person feel at ease. I gave him a shy smile and moved to sit back.

"I know, I'm just such a newborn at this whole hanging out thing, haven't really had much practice".

I was awarded with another brilliant smile and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Well we are in the process of knowing each now so that's one step down, and I'm pretty sure I can help you with the whole hanging out thing so that's also not a problem, don't worry you don't have to thank me".

Jake gave me a wink and I laughed. Instead of being nervous around him, I suddenly felt very relaxed and comfortable. That's how the rest of our lunch went, easy as pie.

I was laughing more than I have in a long time and when our food arrived I was surprised at myself that I didn't even hide the fact that I could really throw down when it came to some food, laughing with Jacob when he teased me about have some ketchup on the side of my mouth. Instead of being embarrassed and wanting to crawl under a table and never come out, I just stuck out my tongue and continued eating, not at all startled when he reached over himself and wiped the ketchup off with a napkin. And when he asked about dessert, I happily accepted and we both shared a huge sundae with extra chocolate upon my request.

We stayed for a while just talking. Conversation came easy with Jake and we talked about everything under the sun. After of course discussing my car, which was the main reason we came out here, and having Jake promise to bring me by once he was almost done with it, I asked him about his life, his family and friends. I was completely engrossed in what he was telling me. His life seemed like it was filled with so much love, fun and excitement and deep down I was a little jealous. Jake told me about some woman named Isabella that he was in love with since he was about seven years old, how she told him that she loved him, but not enough as she did her other boyfriend.

I couldn't stop myself when I reached over and grabbed his hand, wanting to somehow let him know that I was here for him. Jake gave me a smile and didn't bother removing his hand from mine. He said he had accepted her decision for a while now and was just ready to move forward. I was impressed with his strength and his ability to move passed something so heartbreaking.

I had made up my mind that I didn't like this Isabella person. Who could in their right mind could have not chosen Jacob. I didn't have a lot of experience with guys or relationships, but even I could tell that there was something special about him.

I had gotten so comfortable I hadn't even noticed that it was almost three in the afternoon and I had to hurry back before my siblings came home from work. As nervous as I was in the beginning, when Jacob parked his car back in front of my house, I found that I wasn't ready to go. I had allowed myself to open up to someone and I wasn't too eager to let all that go just yet. We walked up my front steps in comfortable silence and I found myself fidgeting in front of the door.

What happens now?

"I'm just going to come right out and say this before I change my mind, I would really like it if I could see you again Naomi". Jacob gave a loud sigh and my face split into a huge smile.

"I would like that". I said softy and he smiled.

"Cool, guess I'll give you a ring or something later". Jake said, giving me a light tap on my chin before he began to make his way back down the stairs.

My heart started beating hard in my chest and my breath caught a bit. Something was missing.

"Jake"? I called quietly. I couldn't let him leave just like that. He turned around to me, his eyes questioning.

"What's up"?

I bit my bottom lip and I could see the smirk that crossed his face at the action. I wouldn't feel complete though if I didn't do this. I stepped forward a bit my eyes on the ground before I slowly raised them to look in his face.

"Hug"? I asked.

Jacob gave me a brilliant smile before opening up his arms wide.

"Of course".

He had barely gotten the words out before I threw myself into him, my arms wrapping around his waist and his coming to rest around my shoulders and back. He was so warm and smelled just like he did last time. I could feel Jake's face buried deep in my hair and I heard him take a deep breath. I could have stayed like this forever and would have been completely and utterly content.

But after a minute I felt Jacob pulling away, even if I refused to remove my arms from around his waist. He pulled back a bit farther so he could look into my face, giving me a smile and pushing some hair out my face.

"I'll call you later okay"? He said his voice low. I just nodded, unable to even form any words.

I moved back too and reluctantly removed my arms from around him. Jake ran a hand softly down the side of my face, gave me a quick smirk and jogged back to his car. I stood on our front steps for a minute, watching him drive away until I couldn't see his car anymore. My heart felt ten times lighter as I made my way back into the house, my cheeks beginning to sting because I couldn't wipe the humongous grin from my face.

I was happy.

My mom would be so proud of my progress. But I wasn't quite ready to tell my family yet. My brother had already forbid me to see Jacob again and I couldn't risk not being allowed to see him at all.

No, I was holding on to this little bit of comfort even if I had to destroy the trust of those closest to me. This is something I wanted, and I was pretty dead set on getting it.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, nothing too exciting, kind of just a filler chapter, but let me just tell you that it is indeed about to get interesting and maybe just alittle bit hectic…..stay tuned. Please Review


	13. Secrets

_**A/N: Things are about to get interesting!**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.**_

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*Secrets*

_**Jacob's POV**_

For the first time in a long time, I was content. Things were beginning to come together and my life seemed to have a purpose now, not that it didn't before, but something now was different.

Oh what the hell? Who the fuck was I kidding?

Naomi was the sole reason for my upbeat attitude as of late. Ever since I our lunch date, we have spoken to each other almost every day. On her days off from work, she now had a tendency to stop by the shop and, after much teasing and bitching from Quil and Embry, brought us some lunch and various things to snack on.

Over the past couple weeks; we both fell into an easy friendship. I had finally gotten her to open up to me and listened as she told me about her family, the loss of her father and how her siblings and mother all wanted to get a new start on life. I could tell that she was keeping something else important from me, something that had to do with who she was, but I didn't push it. Because of her honesty, I told her about my family, pack included but I stopped short of telling her exactly _what_ I was, what we all were. I thought it might be a little too soon to drop that bomb just yet, but I planned to shortly.

I didn't want any secrets hanging between us.

I knew she was holding something from me but I wanted to be completely open with her about what I was keeping locked away. I was going to tell her exactly what I was and what duty I had to uphold. If she stayed friends with me after that then I would be more than ecstatic, but if she decided that it was a little too weird for her I would understand that too, although I was really hoping she would stay.

My insanity really depended on it.

Today was just like all the rest, I was working on another car that I had to get out by the end of the week, my head buried deep in the engine and Naomi had perched herself on the hood of one of the cars directly in front of the one I was working on, her head cocked to side, studying my movements and taking small bites of a sandwich she was nibbling on.

I grinned but continued working. I secretly loved it when she watched me. In the beginning when I caught her staring, she would turn away quickly and a cute little blush would grace her cheeks. But now, she would continue to stare and give me a huge grin and a wink.

Definitely did something for my male alpha ego.

After a moment I stood up straight and wiped off my hands, slamming the hood of the car shut. I looked over at Naomi and she gave me a smile, tossing me the sandwich she didn't finish. I caught it easily and took a huge bite. This was how it was between us, comfortable.

"So missy, have you thought about it"? I asked, stuffing the last piece of sandwich in my mouth before taking a drink of water.

Naomi sighed and slid off the car she was sitting on. She made her way over to me and took a seat on the bench I had perched myself on.

"I don't know Jake; you know how my family is".

A couple of days ago I asked her to a bonfire that was going to be happening on the beach by my home. I wanted her to come meet my family. I knew from what she told me that her family was extremely over protective of her especially her brother, who she told me didn't really care for her hanging around me or anyone who I associated with, couldn't figure out why though. Because of this hang up, Naomi took to sneaking around to come see me or hang out, and while I didn't really care for that, I would have preferred if things were out in the open, but I would rather take her sneaking around to see me then to not see her at all.

"C'mon Mimi, it will be fun, plus Embry and Quil want you to come too, you don't want to disappoint those two do you?"

Naomi smiled at me and gently pushed my shoulder with her own, the mention of those two knuckle-headed friends of mine breaking her resolve a little. When I became Alpha, I had to abandon a few quirks about myself in order to create the no-nonsense persona that Sam had once possessed. Don't get me wrong, I could still crack the occasional inappropriate joke and break out in an unnecessary wrestle with my brothers but for the most part because of the new found responsibilities I now had, i needed to cut down the joking to a minimal.

But since Naomi started becoming comfortable with me, she became more comfortable with Quil and Embry also and those two seemed to take her under their wing, and she was adjusting nicely, almost completely able now to dish out a smart remark without even batting an eyelash.

"I guess for those two, I can try to make an exception". She said, giving me a smile and poking me in the ribs quickly before she jumped away from me.

I laughed and got swiftly to my feet, chasing after her. Naomi gave a cute little squeal and sprinted behind one of my cars, putting it between her and myself. I stared her down for a minute, our eyes locked in a playful showdown. I faked to my right and she took the bait, running to her left. I cut her off and scooped her up, my fingers going to work on her sides, tickling her till she begged me to stop. After a moment, I relented and I allowed her to catch her breath, our laughter bouncing off the walls around us.

"Are you sure you're only going to come for those two". I asked her quietly, my fingers had stopped their abuse but I still held onto her, not yet ready to let go.

Naomi turned to face me completely, resting her head on my chest and bringing her arms to loosely hang around my waist. She liked hugging me that was for sure, but I didn't give a damn. It just gave me an innocent excuse to touch her.

"Of course you know that's not my only reason Jake, I like being with you".

My grin felt like it was going to rip my face in two. I didn't want to sound like a conceited asshole, but I loved that she _loved_ being around me so much. I had never felt like my company was so wanted, at least not since Bella left. I breathed in her scent deeply, vanilla and coconut, and briefly closed my eyes. I was so calm around her, the very essence of her presence easing my nerves without effort.

"I'm glad you feel that way sweetheart, I was beginning to get jealous and would have had to ban you from every hanging around Em or Quil again".

Naomi laughed and lightly punched me in the chest before she pulled herself away from me. I was very careful about what I said to her, but sometimes I slipped up. I would be lying to myself if I said that I wasn't beginning to have some feelings towards her, feelings that were stronger than just being friends.

But from past experiences, I knew that I couldn't push it, and when I did let something slip I quickly covered it up with some kind of dumb joke. I wasn't going to put myself or my feelings out there again, learned my lesson on that once and wasn't too eager to repeat the process.

"Jake you do know that this is still new from me right"? "I mean I'm comfortable with you, Em and Quil, but I'm sort of nervous about being around other people". Naomi was biting her lip again and she wasn't looking at me.

I smiled and gently tipped her chin up so her eyes could lock with mine.

"I remember hun, but I was hoping _you _would remember that I wouldn't let anything happen to you".

She laughed a bit and I could feel the tension beginning to roll off of her. "I know you won't". Naomi said quietly but she was still biting her lip, diverting her eyes once again from my face to the floor.

I ducked my head down bit trying to catch her eye and when I finally did she laughed. I was good that.

"Don't worry so much mimi, I'm sure everyone is going to love you".

Her face broke into a wide grin and I was satisfied that she wasn't so worried anymore. I began to make my way back over to the car I was working on and started up the lift.

"So what time should I come pick you up"?

I threw the question over my shoulder. I heard Naomi shuffle a bit behind me before she gave a small sigh.

"I guess around seven is fine".

I smiled but didn't say anything else. I knew eventually that she would give in.

"Jake"? I heard softly and I stopped my movements.

"Yeah"?

I turned around and was surprised to find Naomi standing directly in front of me, so close that there was only a little space between us. She stood a bit on her toes and leaned her face towards mine so that her lips were next to my ear.

"I know you got me no matter what". She whispered quietly, her breath caressing my earlobe softly.

I had to practice a whole hell of a lot of self-control in that one moment if I didn't want to push things, because I almost fucking lost it, my instincts wanting to take her up against one of these damn cars. Naomi stepped back and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, something else she had taken accustom to doing, flashed me a smile and made her way towards the exit, her hips swinging ever so slightly. I smiled and didn't tear my eyes away from her until she disappeared, before I turned back towards my work.

That girl was going to be the death of me for sure.

* * *

By seven fifteen that night, I was pulling up in front of Naomi's home. I cut the engine and hopped out. I took my time walking up the front steps because I knew this woman wouldn't be ready. When I reached the door I pushed the bell and waited patiently. I heard the locks being undone and when the door swung open it wasn't Naomi that stood there, but someone who looked just like her.

"Good Evening, you must be Jacob".

The woman spoke to me, her voice soft and soothing. I straightened up quickly and reached out a hand in greeting.

"That's me, Nice to meet you Mrs.….."?

The woman smiled at me and I felt my heart swell a bit. "Just call me Natalie; please come in while you wait Naomi".

I smiled kindly at her as I made my way passed, stepping into the front porch. I heard Natalie close the door behind me before she stood in front of me again, the same blinding smile still on her face.

"Come with me Jacob and have a seat". She said quietly and surprised the hell out of me by grabbing my hand and pulling me gently down the hall until we reached the kitchen. She mentioned towards a seat at the small table before she began fiddling at the stove. While her back was turned I took the chance to look around.

The kitchen was small but comfy, with a lot of different things decorating the walls. There were writings etched into the wallpaper in a language that I wasn't familiar with. I knew Naomi was Native American, but she never told me what tribe she originated from and I never bothered to push the issue. But now my curiosity was peaked even further and I was almost anxious to know more about her.

"Don't worry, she will tell you when she is ready".

I heard quietly and I looked up and saw Natalie staring me, a kind smile playing around her lips. Had she heard what I was thinking? I guess my question was displayed across my face because she laughed and I couldn't help but smile in return.

"Don't look so surprised, I kind of have a sixth sense about these things".

I laughed and got a bit more comfortable in my seat. Natalie was a beautiful woman even if she was older, and I could definitely see where Naomi got her looks from. She reached over and grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You're good for her Jacob and I'm glad that she is happy when she is with you". Natalie said quietly and I could have sworn I saw tears gather in her eyes.

I didn't know why she was telling me this, and I didn't know if I could handle an emotional woman at this point, so I turned completely and grabbed both her hands in my own, rubbing soothing circles on the skin.

"I'm happy when I'm with her too, she does something for me".

I smiled because it was true and it kind of felt good saying it out loud. Natalie smiled and gave me an affectionate pat. Before either of us could say another word, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Mom, I heard the door, was that….? Oh"?

Naomi paused as she reached the doorway to the kitchen and I stopped breathing. She had blown out her hair so that it was straight; flowing passed her shoulders almost reaching the middle of her back. She wore a cream colored sweater that hugged her perfectly with some light brown tights and cream colored ballet flats.

She was fucking breathtaking.

"Hey Jake, I thought I heard your voice".

Naomi was smiling at me almost shyly and it made her that much cuter. I stood to my feet and walked over to her without thinking and wrapped her in my arms. She seemed surprised at first but then I heard her give a content little sigh and she melted into me. She smelled amazing and I was beginning to love the vanilla and coconut scent I associated with her. I pulled back a little and gave her a small smile, completely aware that her mom was still in the room.

"Are you ready to go"? I asked quietly.

Naomi gave a nod and stepped out of my embrace. She made her way to her mother and gave her a quick hug. Before she pulled away, Natalie grabbed her face gently in both hands and whispered something in that strange native tongue I heard them use before. Naomi smiled and turned towards me, hooking her arm in mine.

"It was nice meeting you Jacob". Natalie said quietly and I smiled in return.

"You too".

I led Naomi to the front door and we walked out together, my arm around her shoulders as we slowly made our way to my car.

"I don't want to be nosy or anything, but what did your mom say to you back there"?

Naomi laughed and gave me a soft punch to my side. As I opened the passenger side door for her she hesitated. She turned to me and I couldn't quite read her expression.

"My mom told me that you have a strong heart Jacob, she can sense the strength from you" "It beats with dedication and devotion, you have no fear".

As she said this, I was taken by surprise. Could one person really sense all that about someone?

"What else did she tell you"? I asked quietly.

Naomi smiled, her eyes holding something that I again could not read.

"She said you have altered who I will become and I have done the same for you".

With that Naomi slid into the seat and I closed the door behind her, almost in a daze. Whatever Natalie meant by what she said, I could only hope that it went somewhere good, I didn't think I could take too much more disappointments.

* * *

"I'm so nervous". Naomi said quietly and held onto my hand just a bit tighter.

I grinned and gave her hand a small squeeze in return. "Sweetheart you are going to be fine".

We made our way towards the small gathering that was on the beach and Naomi was growing anxious the close we got to the loud crowd.

"You say that now, but what if they don't like me". She said and when I turned to face her, she had tears beginning to swim in those cinnamon colored eyes.

"Hey, Hey none of that". I said, taking her face in my hands and stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. Naomi gave me a watery smile and sniffed.

"I'm sorry Jake, you know how hard and scary this is for me".

I did know and I was beginning to feel like an ass for pushing her so hard to come.

"We can leave now if you want, go do something just the two of us".

She smiled but shook her head gently. "No its ok, I really want to meet your family".

I smiled and grabbed her hand again and began pulling her towards the group. The fact that she was even going to try just made me like her even more.

"HEY"! "It's about time you guys showed up". Quil's loud ass shouted all the way over to us before we even made it to the bonfire.

Naomi smiled and I could physically feel the nervousness roll off of her. Somehow, and I don't think I would ever really know how, Quil could make her feel at ease.

"Well you know how long women take". I joked and was awarded with a punch to my side. I swear that girl could throw a good one.

"Well obviously it paid off, you look stunning my dear". Quil was laying it on thick and I rolled my eyes, but at least Naomi was warming up. She smiled at Quil and poked him playfully.

"Thank you sir". She said, but never let go of my hand. Although the peace and quiet was short lived, because out of nowhere, Embry came barreling in our direction, snatching Naomi off her feet, swinging her over his shoulder and then proceeding to run around the beach like a mad man.

It was funny as hell.

Naomi was screaming and laughing at the same time and hitting her small fists over Embry's back, while he pretended that he didn't hear her. I suppose I did feel a little jealous, but as long as Naomi was feeling happy, I was cool.

"She's pretty Jake".

I was daydreaming so bad, that I hadn't heard nor seen my dad pull up beside me. I smiled at him and returned my eyes back to Naomi and Embry, now joined by Quil.

"We're just friends Dad, she's new here, I'm showing her around".

Billy laughed and gave me a particular hard smack on the back, which was a pretty impressive feat considering how far he had to reach up to do that from his wheel chair.

"Son, your eyes are sparkling". "I haven't seen so much life in them for a long time".

I turned towards my dad, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm happy".

Dad was just going to say something else, when I heard my name being called. I turned and spotted Embry coming towards with Naomi still perched on his shoulder.

"Special Delivery"! Sign Here please sir". Em said and gave her a small pat on her butt, earning a squeal and a smack on the back of the head from the woman he held hostage. He laughed and gently put Naomi on her feet and almost immediately she started showering him with punches.

"OW, easy Na, damn it I was just joking".

Naomi laughed as he jogged away from her dangerous fist and I smiled as the shell she had around her was slowly crumbling away. I grabbed her hand to get her attention.

"Naomi, I would like you to meet my dad Billy, Dad this is Naomi".

Dad reached forward and took her hand from mine. "Nice to meet you".

Naomi smiled, but somehow it faltered. "Nice to meet you Mr. Black."

Dad smiled, but he studied her face intently. I didn't get it.

"Hey Jake"! I turned and saw Quil waving at me from down the beach. "Come on man, FOOTBALL!"

I turned back towards Naomi and gave her a sheepish smile. She laughed at me and gave me a push with her hip.

"Go ahead Jake, have fun, I'll be fine". I grinned and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before I jogged my way over to my brothers.

I figured my Dad would do a good job and look over her for me until I got back.

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Naomi's POV

I watched Jake jog away and felt a sense of loss, but that was becoming common when I was away from him.

"Have you told him yet"?

I heard Billy ask me, and I slowly turned to face him. I sighed.

"No I haven't, and please don't say anything to him until I do".

Billy nodded and gave me a kind smile.

"Your father was a good man and a great leader, and even though there has been tension through the ages between our two tribes, I hope that you will feel welcome here".

I gave him a smile in return but it fell once my eyes were trained on Jacob again.

"We have long history of hatred for one another". I said quietly and Billy laughed.

"Indeed we do, but I believe we can get passed the prejudice and move forward, maybe together".

I turned my attention back towards the kind man in the wheelchair and couldn't help but feel welcomed around him. My dad was always right about what he said, if anything was going to change, Billy would be the one to do it. He gave me an affectionate pat on my arm and I smiled in return.

"I would like to meet with Aaron if he is willing; there are things we need to discuss".

I laughed quietly and despite myself, gave Billy shoulders a squeeze.

"I will try to talk to him, but my brother is very strong willed, and he still believes in the stories of our ancestors".

Billy smiled and gave a subtle nod. "Understandable, but it is him that we must speak to you". I nodded even though Billy couldn't see me.

"I will try".

Billy gave a soft sigh and began to wheel himself back up the small path to a house. He stopped though midway and turned back towards me.

"Jacob is happy with you, I'm glad to see him smile again".

And with a small smile of his own, Billy continued on his way, disappearing behind the door. I sighed and kicked some sand with my foot, my thoughts jumbled. I took a seat on a piece of driftwood and watched the boys continue their game a few feet away.

Was I ever going to tell Jacob the truth about exactly what I was? Could I go against my brother's wishes again, just so that I was happy?

I briefly held my face in my hands before running my fingers through my hair. I looked at the group of guys again and smiled as Jake caught my eye. These past couple of weeks has been heaven for me, and quite frankly I wasn't ready for my happiness to end.

Telling Jake the truth would just have to wait a little bit longer.

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A/N: So dear old Billy knows who Naomi is and where she comes from. When will she tell Jacob the truth? And is it going to all back fire? This chapter was one of the longest I have written and I hope you enjoyed it. Please review! Next chapter coming soon.


	14. Hope

_**A/N: The next couple of chapters are going to allow us to get deeper into Naomi and Jacob's relationship, will they stay just friends? Or is there something more? Also we will begin to touch the surface about what Naomi is trying so hard to hide from Jake. So hang on for the ride and hope you have enjoyed the story thus far.**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own a thing, just the stuff that bounces around in my head.**_

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*Hope*

_**Naomi's POV**_

I smiled as I continued to watch the guys play football up the beach, laughing quietly to myself when one of them made a particular crazy move. My brain was still reeling and my conscience was conflicted.

Should I or shouldn't I tell him the truth?

Who knows how Jacob would act when he finally found out the truth about me. Because there was such a bloody history, filled with hatred and violence between our two tribes, who's to say that Jake wouldn't adopt the same attitude that my brother has now? Then he would hate me, and would be pulled towards the need to protect his own people rather than being friends with someone whose entire ancestry tried to destroy his own.

I sighed and felt the tears build up in my eyes before I angrily wiped them away. I guess this was why Aaron didn't want me to get involved in the first place, there was too much I could lose.

"Hey there beautiful, how are you holding up"?

I smiled and turned my complete attention to the man coming my way, all concerns forgotten, at least for the moment.

"I'm fine; you guys looked good out there".

Jake smiled and brushed some sand off his pants. "I can introduce you to them if you want".

I considered that for a second, the butterflies starting back up again. But I made up my mind pretty quickly, might be my last time ever being around Jacob's people ever again.

"I would love to".

Jake's face broke out into a huge grin and he grabbed my hand, gently pulling me to my feet and together we made our way over to the group of young, very large men. As we got closer, I got more nervous and was beginning to rethink this decision.

"Hey guys, I want you to meet Naomi, Naomi meet the guys".

I gave a subtle nod to them all, hiding somewhat behind Jacob. A tall one stepped forward then and extended his hand towards me.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Jared". He said and I smiled as our hands connected.

"You too". I said softly.

Jared gave me a smile and was in the process of saying something else when he was roughly pushed to the side by another guy who almost looked exactly like him, just with a bit more muscle.

"Hey, the name's Paul".

I gave him a smile as we shook hands and in return I was awarded with a wink, with of course made me blush. The one named Paul nudged Jake in his side with his elbow, his eyes still trained on me, a smirk on his lips.

"You have outdone yourself Jake, she's hot".

Jacob coughed and I laughed a bit, I was beginning to like this Paul person.

"Quit it". Jake said and Paul gave a huge laugh and opened his mouth to say something again but at that moment was tackled hard and driven into the sand by Jared. The way they began to wrestle you would have thought that they were engaged in a very particular vicious fight. But the others paid it no mind what so ever and I assumed that this was normal behavior.

"Hello, my name is Seth, don't worry about those guys, they do that all the time".

I smiled at the boy standing in front of me. He had a cheerful face and I could tell that he was younger than the rest, but he stood just has tall as the others and I could tell that he was beginning to come into the muscular physique that they all seemed to possess.

"Are they going to be okay"? I asked, my eyes darting back to the large lump rolling around in the sand, the only indication that it was two people were the increasing curse words.

Seth laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, I actually have my money on Jared".

Embry, once again appearing out of nowhere, slung an arm around my shoulders and looked at the scuffle with interest.

"Naw man, I'm going with Paul, that kid has enough pent up anger that could put the Hulk to shame".

I laughed and found it amusing that they were actually going to bet money on this little disagreement and watched has they both put down a ten dollar bill.

"Are these your brothers, all of you look alike". I asked Jake, laughing at all the commotion around us. J

ake laughed himself and when I turned to look up in his face, I could see admiration and loyalty in his eyes as he looked at the group around him. He smiled down at me and gave my hand a small squeeze.

"You can say that".

I was enjoying myself a lot around them and they all seemed to take me in as one of their own. I was beginning to feel welcomed by them all, until…

"What the fuck are you dumb asses doing? "And who the hell is this"?

My head whipped around and my eyes connected with the same ebony ones like all the others, but these particular set were cold and hard. Jacob gave a very loud sigh and ran a hand down his face.

"Damn Leah, hello to you too".

He had a small frown on his face that didn't suit him at all. Every time I was around him, he always kept a smile on his face as well as my own. It made me want to know who this woman was, and what the hell was stuck up her ass. The woman named Leah rolled her eyes at Jake and placed a hand on her hip, turning that icy cold stare in my direction.

She was beautiful, and she had the same copper colored skin like the guys around me. Her hair was cut in a cute bob that framed her face and fell into her eyes. She didn't have on many clothes, a cropped tank top and small shorts, but then again neither did anyone else, most of them without a shirt and shoes. Her entire persona was intimidating.

"So, are you going to tell me who the hell this is"? Leah asked again, her eyes bearing holes into my face.

Even though her stare was kind of unnerving, I was no punk by any means and I stared right back, refusing to look away. Jacob gave another sigh and opened his mouth to speak, but Quil cut him off and took my other hand in his.

"This, if you must know, is Naomi our friend, Naomi; this is Leah, the town bitch".

He was quickly rewarded with a very healthy punch to the jaw. Quil cursed out loud and shoved her back with enough force that she tumbled backward a bit. Leah gave a growl and made to throw another punch but Jacob stepped in between them, his face thunderous.

"Enough"! "What the fuck is your problem Leah"?

She stared Quil down for another second before turning those dark orbs back towards me, a small scowl on her face.

"Oh so I'm just supposed to sit back and allow you to bring some other female here to tear apart this pack, so you could get a quick lay Jacob"? "You want this to be Bella all over again"? "She's not even your imprint, so what the hell is the point"?

Leah gave me another long stare down before she stormed away from us, walking with her fist clenched by her sides towards the forest at the end of the beach. I was literally standing there with my mouth open. She really had an attitude on her. And what the hell was an imprint? Quil shook his head and placed his jaw back into place.

"And that was Leah in a nutshell".

He gave me a small smile and jogged away, joining the other guys up ahead, another game of football about to be started. Jake still had that frown on his face and I placed a hand on his arm until he looked down at me.

"Hey, are you ok"? I asked quietly and he smiled, but it wasn't one that I was use too.

"Yeah, I'm cool; Leah just has a way of getting under my skin".

Jake sighed and when he stood in front of me, he wore the smile that I was beginning to fall in love with.

"C'mon let's get out of here and get something to eat, I'm starved".

I smiled and grabbed his hand with my own and allowed him to lead me back towards his car. We passed by all the guys and I said my goodbyes, laughing as I was hugged and lifted off my feet by each one, Quil and Embry both giving me friendly kisses on the cheek.

"I like your brothers; they are one of a kind". I said to Jacob, the goofy smile still on my face. He hugged me close as we reached the car and buried his nose in my hair.

"Apparently they _really_ like you sweetheart, I told you so".

As he let me go and I got in the car, I couldn't help but feel completely content by that statement.

* * *

I could have danced all night if my feet would actually cooperate with me. The house was quiet and dark when I came in, and I assumed my mom and siblings were sleep, well maybe not Aaron, who was probably out somewhere. My stomach gave a harsh rumble and my feet immediately went in the direction of the kitchen. I threw opened the fridge and grabbed the first piece of edible looking food and stuffed my mouth full, chewing nosily.

"Someone seems happy".

I swallowed slowly and closed the door, not even bothering to turn around.

"What do you mean"? I asked, taking great care to keep my voice even.

I heard footsteps pad across the linoleum floor before they stopped in front of me. I sighed and finally looked up into my sister's face. Camille gave me a small smile and gently moved some hair out of my face.

"Baby girl, what are you doing"? She asked me, her face concerned.

I gave a nervous laugh and moved around her, using my foot to close the fridge door. "I'm getting a snack".

Camille leaned against our counter, her arms folded against her chest, her eyes studying me.

"Where were you"?

I finished off my snack and took my time chewing and swallowing. Was she really going to do this now? But before I could even utter a syllable, Camille was standing in front of me, both of her hands gently trapping my face in between them.

"I'm worried about you little one, I feel like your growing distant from us".

I bit my lip and tried to force back the tears that were beginning to surface. This is what I was afraid of, that the moment I decided to live for myself a bit, I was going to neglect my family.

I couldn't answer her, couldn't even open my mouth, and when Camille looked at me, searching my face and seeing my internal distress, she didn't say another word, she just pulled me close into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around me protectively.

That's when I lost it.

The tears came and I didn't stop them. I cried into my sister's shoulder and clung to her, while she whispered soothing words in our beloved Apache language. When I got a better hold on my emotions, I didn't let go and together we just stood quietly in our kitchen, Camille doing what she always did well, being my big sister.

"What do I do"? I asked quietly, sniffing noisily, pieces of my hair sticking to my wet cheeks.

I knew I didn't have to elaborate any further because deep down I knew that Camille could feel the internal turmoil I was going through and my confusion about what direction to go in. She pulled back a bit and wiped my face dry with the back of her hand, giving me a comforting smile.

"Only you can figure that out little one, the path you choose to walk and the decisions you decide to make are yours alone". "As your family, we can only make and build that path for you, each of us creating different ways for you to travel, but in the end baby girl, you have to walk down that path and decide which way you want to go on your own, even if you decide that our paths are not the ones you want to take".

I smiled and Camille gave me a soft kiss on my forehead. There was no need for anymore words. We walked up the stairs to our rooms together and I knew that I had some decisions I needed to make.

_**

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**_

Jacob's POV

I could always count on my pack brothers. I couldn't have asked for a better evening, even Paul had been on his best behavior. Naomi went home tonight with a smile on her face and I couldn't help and feel a bit smug about that because I was the one who put it there. My family made her feel welcomed, which is what I was hoping for because of how nervous she had been. I had long since gotten back from dropping Naomi off but I was nowhere near ready to turn in.

I had to deal with something first.

I made my was over to the piece of drift wood that sat on the beach and stopped just before I reached it, knowing that the person who was sitting there had sensed me coming a long time ago.

"What the hell was that earlier Leah"? My voice was stern and I had meant it to be. She had no fucking right to treat Naomi the way that she did.

Leah snorted and refused to turn around.

"Oh so now, you're going to stand up for her"? "Already turning on your pack mates Jacob"?

Her voiced dripped with venom and I had to take a calming breath before I completely fucking lost it. I tried not to let Leah get to me at all, choosing to ignore some of her snappy comments and her below the belt remarks, but sometimes this damn girl made me want to tear my hair out.

"You will not speak to her like that again". "When I bring her around, you will treat her with some damn courtesy, even if it kills you".

I was careful to not make that an Alpha command, as I wanted everyone to have a chance to make their own decision rather than making one because they were _forced_ too. Leah jumped to her feet, her hands shaking slightly, and stood in front of me, her face inches away from my own.

"Fuck you". She growled. "You don't control me; I can do and say anything I want".

She was extremely lucky she was a female because had she been a guy, this conversation would have been over ten seconds ago, because my fist would have been in her mouth.

"Be careful Leah". I warned her.

She knew exactly what to say to push someone's button, but so did I and I really didn't want it to go there. I turned and started to walk away, just being around her was draining the little bit of energy I had and I was ready to crash. I heard Leah's heavy footsteps and then she was in front of me, her lip pulled back in a snarl.

I didn't get how someone could be so angry.

Leah was a very beautiful woman, and she would be even more breathtaking if her ass smiled more, even once, instead of always adopting the permanent scowl she always wore.

"You're so pathetic, every skirt that comes and shows you a little bit of attention, everyone has to dropped what they're doing and worship the ground she walks on, grow a fucking backbone Jacob, haven't you learned anything after sniffing around Bella's ass for the last two years"?

That was it.

It was hard enough getting over everything that happened with Bella and I damn sure wasn't going to let Leah bring up all those memories and throw it in my face. She wanted a backbone; well she sure as hell was going to get one. I stepped towards her, so close that each time she took a breath, her chest touched mine. Leah was tall, at least taller than any female I knew, but I was taller and towered over her, trying to push back down the white hot heat that was trying to crawl up my spine and awaken my wolf.

"I'm pathetic"? I laughed cruelly. "Yet you're the one walking around bitter and angry because your ex-boyfriend _imprinted_ on your cousin and now they have the life you dreamed about since you were a little girl". "Stop trying to make everyone as miserable as you and _move the fuck on_"! "How much does Sam have to apologize for what he's done"? "Maybe if you get over it, you can finally imprint and put us all out of our misery".

Leah stood motionless and quiet for a minute, and then she smacked me hard against my right cheek. I knew it was coming and I took the blow, not even trying to turn my head a bit to soften the impact. She turned away from me and began making her way towards the woods, the outline of her figure blurring and I could tell she was a couple seconds from phasing. Leah stopped suddenly and I could see her back rippling with the effort of keeping herself from exploding.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up to high All mighty _Alpha_". "Your little gem isn't all she seems to be". She said, the statement thrown over her shoulder because she refused to look at me.

"Go on patrol, your relieving Quil early". "NOW"! This time I did use my alpha command, mainly because I was done arguing with her.

Leah shot me a cold look before she took off, her body bursting into the gray wolf before she even reached the trees. I sighed and massaged my temples with my thumbs.

God that woman was infuriating.

I turned back around and continued back on my path towards my house, my feet dragging because I was so drained. I felt bad for what I said, but Leah was asking for it. My brain was sluggish and I tried to erase all the things that she threw at me about Bella. I really didn't want to think about her right now.

But one thing Leah said kept standing out on the front line in my mind. _"__Your__ little gem isn't all she seems to be"._

What the hell did she mean by that?

_**

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Please Review


	15. note

_**A/N: **__**First I would just like to thank everyone for reading this story and thanks to everyone who has reviewed. **_

_**I wanted to send out this note to address a question about a particular issue that has come up in my reviews as of late…and that issue being….**_

_**Imprinting.**_

_**Many readers have believed that Jacob has imprinted on Naomi. This however is not the case. I won't say whether or not Jake will imprint because I don't want to give anything away just yet and the reason behind him not imprinting right away will be explained later.**_

_**In earlier chapters, I had describe that both Jacob and Naomi felt a pull towards each other and both have a need to be in each other's company but I never said it was because of an imprint.**_

_**As many of you have read in my bio, I am not a fan of Breaking Dawn and Renesemme, which kind of makes me prejudice towards imprinting, but I'm not completely against it. I just better like the idea that, if you do imprint, maybe there might be some conflicting things present to prevent it from happening right away. So with that said, I haven't ruled out the idea of imprinting, but I'm also not sure if I want Jake to imprint or not, still kind of up in the air.**_

_**I would love to hear you guys opinions on this thing, to imprint or not to imprint that is the question! Give me your feedback! I have an idea about what I think I'm going to do, but if someone comes up with a fabulous idea, who knows? Might be enough to change my mind.**_

_**Once again thanks guys for reading and hopefully the next chapter will be up by this evening. Happy New Years! MN**_


	16. Closer

_***Closer***_

_**Jacob's POV**_

Things were perfect right now. I haven't felt so _right_ in a long damn time.

It was a particular sunny and warm day in Forks and I had left work early. Naomi had stopped by again on her day off and we were just sitting around, joking, laughing at the shop, and not having much to do because the work was kind of slow. Naomi stated talking about how perfect this weather would be for a picnic and I agreed, stating that there weren't many days as nice as this and next thing I knew, she was pulling me out the door, talking excitedly about what we were going to get and how much fun we were going to have. I laughed. I haven't seen anyone so thrilled to go on a simple picnic, but I was happy that she was able to experience that with me.

And here we were, sitting quietly on First Beach, our blanket spread out and the food long since gone. I was lying on my back, staring up into the sky. Naomi was lying with her head on my chest and every time the wind blew, her intoxicating scent filled my nose. We weren't speaking, but the silence was comfortable and I was content with just listening to her heart beat.

"Jake"?

Her soft voice brought me back to the present; my mind had been completely somewhere else. I cleared my throat before I answered her.

"Yeah"?

Naomi sat up and her beautiful face was suddenly in my line of vision, some of that ebony hair falling from the ponytail she had in. She got more and more beautiful every day I saw her.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about something"?

I sighed and sat up a bit, giving her a small smile and brushing some loose hair behind her ear.

"Yeah I do".

Last night I had called her, something I was growing accustomed too, and wished her a good night. She sounded a bit down, but I just assumed it was from lack of sleep. We talked about random things and I made her laugh. Then she asked my about Leah and I froze. It was now or never. I took the dive. I told her that there were some things that I needed to explain to her about who I was and what my brothers were.

Naomi didn't seem freaked out about that, and that was a good sign. I had made plans to tell her when we had some time alone, just didn't expect that particular time to be now. I laughed, more out of nerves than anything else.

"I wanted to let you know a few things, about me, my brothers and Leah".

I didn't know why the hell I was talking so low, but I was apprehensive. When I was with Naomi, I could breathe again. Nothing bothered me, and those horrible memories and bitter feelings seemed to stay away. I didn't want to give that up. But it wasn't every day that you tell someone that you're a werewolf and your sole purpose is to protect your tribe and your land from vampires.

Naomi just sat there and stared at me with those big, cinnamon orbs. I was getting scared when she remained quiet until her face broke out into a huge grin and I gave a sigh of relief. She poked me in my side playfully.

"Well are you going to tell me or what"?

I laughed and the tension I felt dissolved instantly. I didn't realize I had stalled that long. I poked her back and was rewarded with a cute little giggle.

"I'm going to tell you, but I just need you to know that it's not something you will hear every day, it's not going to be normal, and when I tell you, you might have a different opinion of me after wards".

Naomi shook her head at me a small smile on her lips.

"I don't care what it is Jake, nothing is going to change the way I see you".

I smiled and pulled her close for a hug. She had absolutely no idea how that made me feel. So, I told her everything. How my people, the Quileute's, are descendants from wolfs, how most of us carry the gene and when there are too many vampires around, the gene is awakened and we transform, and that our entire existence was to hunt and kill vampires.

After telling her everything, well maybe not everything, I held my breath. I was waiting, waiting for the exact moment that she would run away screaming. But she didn't. Naomi gave me a gentle smile, her eyes never leaving my face.

"I know of your history Jacob, I have heard the tales before, so it doesn't actually surprise me that they are true".

THANK YOU GOD.

I didn't notice I had stopped breathing until I had to take a breath to keep from passing out. I couldn't figure out what was with the girls I took an interest in, but they all dealt with weird pretty damn well.

"Can I ask you something though". Naomi asked, and I was so fucking relieved she hadn't run away screaming like crazy she could have asked me anything.

"Sure sweetheart".

She turned away from me briefly, biting her lip, before those eyes were trained on mine again.

"What's imprinting"?

Fuck! Shit! Goddammit!

Any question, she could have asked any question, except for this one. The fact that I hated imprinting was a damn understatement.

I _detest _it.

Love at first sight, I could handle, because then you could have a chance to build up to all the other stuff, getting to know a person for who they are, what they like and what they dislike. And if things work out for the best, then you wouldn't have to worry about hurting others because you _chose_ to love this person. Imprinting wasn't like that, in my opinion, at all.

The first girl you saw after your first phase was supposed to be the one, whether you fucking knew her or not, she was going to be your imprint, your world, your everything. I sighed and slowly got to my feet, trying to organize the words and thoughts in my head into something that would be understandable. Naomi remained on the blanket and I could feel her eyes on my back.

"Jake, if you don't want to tell me you don't have too". She spoke softly, and I ran a hand over my face and through my hair, gripping it slightly.

"Honey, it's fine, I said I was going to tell you everything and I am".

I wanted everything out in the open, nothing left in the dark. I hated imprinting and the whole idea of it, but that didn't mean I had to hide that from Naomi. I turned back towards her, my eyes trying their best not to look at her directly.

"Imprinting is something that happens to us after the first time we phase, the first girl we see after the turn, we imprint on". "It could be someone we never met or talked too, someone we have only saw in passing or spoken too on one occasion, but suddenly this girl, this woman becomes your world, you're everything and whatever she wants or needs you to be, you become, whether that's a lover, a brother or a friend, you would be anything for her".

Naomi stayed silent for a moment and I wasn't going to break it, I really didn't want to get into this at all.

"So it's something like love at first sight"? She asked and I snorted, not even caring if it was a little bit rude.

"Yeah, love at first sight without a choice, without knowing this person inside and out before you spend the rest of your life with them."

I turned away from her and stared out into the water, this subject really killing my mood. I felt Naomi get up and come towards me, before her arms came to wrap around my waist. I smiled and placed my own arms on top of hers. She leaned her head against my back and gave a soft sigh.

"Not a favorite subject of yours I see".

I laughed and pulled her arms tighter around me. "Is it that obvious"?

Naomi gave me a chuckle in return before she got quiet again.

"Is that what's wrong with Leah"?

I turned around then so that she was facing me, my arms now wrapped loosely around her shoulders.

"Yeah, partly, Sam was Leah's boyfriend; they were even going to get married." "Then Sam changed, and because he was the first one he didn't know what was happening, so he stayed away for a while, until my Dad figured out what was going on and went out to get him. "He explained to Sam what had happened and that out legends were true and he was now a protector of our tribe." Sam went back to Leah and told her that he was away for a while, but because she hadn't changed then, he couldn't tell her why he had left or what he had become. "That of course put somewhat of a wall between them, but because Leah loved him so much she didn't care, she just wanted to start a life together." "Then Leah's cousin Emily came over one day while Sam was there and BAM, he imprinted on her and Emily became his everything, his world."

Naomi gave a gasp and looked up at me and I gave her a sad smile.

"Do you see why I hate the whole idea so much"?

She shook her head, before laying it back down on my chest.

"That's horrible Jacob, How could Sam do that to her"? Naomi asked and I inwardly groaned. Sam was always getting blamed.

I stepped back a bit so that I could see her and I cupped her chin gently so that she could look at me.

"It wasn't Sam's fault; remember I said that imprinting was something we can't control, once we see her, that's it, she is now what holds us here, and she is our gravity".

Naomi stared at me with so much intensity, It almost made me nervous. I said almost.

"That sounds beautiful though Jake".

I shook my head.

"It's beautiful until you hurt, no, destroy the person you were in love with before because your forced to dedicate yourself to some other individual".

I didn't mean to sound bitter, but that's how I felt, this whole discussion was rubbing me the wrong way. Naomi gave me a smile and I couldn't help but smile back, she made it that simple for me.

"So that's why Leah is so bitter"? She asked then and I laughed.

"You can say that, I mean once she phased and learned about imprinting, she understood a little bit but it didn't stop her from being angry, I mean Emily knew how serious Sam and Leah were and even if she knew then about the whole Imprinting thing, she could have told Sam she only needed him as friend or brother, she didn't . "One of the purposes of imprinting is to match a wolf to someone who can help carry on the gene, someone who will give them a good chance of conceiving a child that will one day be able to protect our tribe, Leah wasn't that person for Sam".

I hated sharing this, something so intimate, something I probably wouldn't have known if Leah hadn't slipped on night and let me into her thoughts. But I wanted, _needed_ Naomi to understand this one part, the only part, I hated about what I was.

"I can see why you hate it so much". Naomi said quietly, and I gave a slight nod, I was all talked out about this.

She pulled herself away from me then, wrapping her own arms around her torso turning to stare at the water, leaving me to stare at her back. She was quiet and I didn't like it. I knew that all this information was a lot to take in, but she was always so open and vocal with me. I walked forward and gently wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back against me.

"Tell me what you're thinking sweetheart". I said quietly in her ear, and I thought I felt her shudder.

Naomi stayed silent for about a few more minutes before she turned her head slightly and looked at me over her shoulder.

"Have you imprinted Jake"?

Somehow, I knew this question was coming and yet I still wasn't prepared to answer it. I wish I could tell her what she probably wanted to hear and something I wish was true, but I couldn't. I turned her towards me and stared into those beautiful big eyes that I was growing to love and hoped that, somehow, someway, it would happen.

But it didn't.

"No, I haven't". I spoke softly and surprisingly Naomi gave me a tiny smile before she pulled me in for a hug, letting out a soft sigh.

"I meant what I said earlier Jake, nothing is going to chance how I see you".

I just held onto her, almost too tightly, but she didn't protest so I didn't relent. I needed to hear that. I needed to hear that I would always have someone in my corner no matter what, whether I imprinted or not. I just wish, whenever I did imprint, that I could have a choice.

Because whether Naomi knew it or not, I was slowly falling in love with her.

* * *

To better help Naomi better understand our legends and our history, I invited her to yet another one of our bonfires, except this one was technically a tribal council meeting, but almost always after wards my dad would tell stories of our fathers long ago, and I thought it would be something Naomi would find interesting. Of course she agreed, and told me she would be here around eight, which would be right around the time everything would be getting started.

"Man, can you be any more obvious".

Embry's voice knocked me out of thoughts and I turned to look at him.

"Huh"?

Embry laughed and gave me a push.

"She said she was coming, you don't have to watch the road".

I smiled and laughed with him, realizing I was caught. I couldn't get a thing past Em.

"So your little girlfriend coming tonight"?

Leah came up behind us and our laughter was cut short. It was like happiness was just sucked out the air when Leah came around, and I know that's horrible to say, but it was the truth. Leah was definitely not your little ray of sunshine.

"How many times do I have to tell you Leah, we are friends, and yes since you have to know she is coming tonight".

Leah shook her head and that all too familiar frown appeared on her face. Embry chuckled and she punched him in the shoulder, but it didn't stop his laughter. He gave me a pat on the back.

"Handle your wingman". He said before he made his way over to the others.

I sighed and moved to stand next to Leah, and when she continued to act like I wasn't there I pushed her, and she pushed me back, but that frown was somewhat gone, and I could almost make out the shadow of a smile.

"Listen Leah, you know I trust you with my life and you are like a third sister to me, we have been through a lot together and I've grown to see as not just my beta, but as my friend".

I wasn't just talking out my ass, I was telling the truth. There was a reason I made Leah my beta, she had an incredible sense of dedication towards our pack, she had a quick mind, was able to scout out a threat faster than Embry could, who had the quickest brain I knew, and she was fast hell. But above all that, Leah was a damn good listener. I couldn't count on one hand how many times she had listened to me, through everything and all the pain I felt with Bella, and even though she was sometimes too brash or too harsh, she was always honest, and at that time, it was what I needed.

Leah was my friend and even if half the time she didn't show it, I knew I was hers too.

"I need you to understand that I'm trying to move forward with my life, and I'm hoping to do that with Naomi". "I need you to be in my corner, as my friend".

Leah sighed and finally turned to look at me.

"I understand that Jacob, I get it I really do, but do you honestly think that it's going to work, I mean let's just be for real, if you haven't imprinted on her now Jake, you never will".

I growled, literally growled. Did every fucking thing in the world revolve around imprinting?

Leah crossed her arms across her chest and defiantly stared back at me.

"You know you're going to hurt her Jacob and hurt yourself, why not just wait until you eventually imprint".

I wanted to say something really snappy and smart, but I thought this maybe wasn't the right time for it.

"I'm not going to imprint Leah".

I think I said that more to convince myself. She gave a short little sarcastic laugh.

"Oh yeah"? "We will see, you forget your gene runs deeper than it does in any of our bloodlines, so I hate to break it to you, but it's going to happen".

Leah gave me one more searching look before she walked away, leaving me frustrated and with a headache.

"That looked like one intense conversation".

I hadn't even heard Naomi walk up to me, and was curious to just how much she had heard.

"Well Leah is an intense individual". I said.

She laughed and it gave me a chance to take her in. Her hair was down and it was wavy again and she had a beautifully colored scarf tied around her head. She wore light colored jeans with a dark purple long sleeved top that hung loosely off her shoulders. I had to remember to breathe, seemed to forget that a lot when I was around her. Naomi gave me a shy smile and looked at her feet.

"Jacob, you're staring".

I laughed before bringing her close and wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

"I can't help it, I've missed you".

Naomi laughed and squeezed me a bit tighter and I felt her rub her nose into my chest.

"I've missed you too Jake".

I smiled to myself. I loved it when I was around her. Anything that I was going through was suddenly forgotten.

"C'mon". I said. "Let's go get a good seat, things are about to get started".

With a quick smile up at me, Naomi took my hand and we made our way over to the fire.

"It's about dammit time you two got over here, instead of being all lovey-dovey on the sidelines". Quil blurted out once we had got close and I picked up an empty soda can and launched it at his huge dome.

Of course he dodged it and laughed as we passed him, Naomi giving him a pat on his shoulder. I led us to one of the logs and sat down, my leg stretched out and I patted the spot in between them. Naomi smiled and sat down leaving just a little of space between us. I rolled my eyes and placed my hands on her hips, lifting her up bit and pulling her back against me.

"Don't act all shy now miss". I said quietly and she smacked my arm.

"I'm not shy, but Miss Intense is staring daggers at me and I didn't want her charging over here".

I looked up to see that Leah was indeed glaring in our direction and I frowned. Didn't we have a conversation about this?

"Did you guys have a thing before, because ever since she has met me, it seems like I haven't been one of her favorite people".

I choked on some soda I was drinking and everyone around us who had super hearing, which was pretty much everyone, laughed. Jared, who just so happened to be sitting next to us, gave me a hard hit on my back and my airways cleared. Naomi was laughing quietly at the whole show and I was able to give a small smile.

"Leah is my friend, a very overprotective, slightly possessive, overly angry friend."

I looked over at Leah and she had a small smirk on her face, letting me know that she heard me. Naomi looked in Leah's direction, something we all tried to avoid doing, than turned back towards me, her eyes shining.

"It's good to have someone like that in your corner".

She gave me a kiss on the arm before she pulled them around her tightly. I pulled her close and made myself comfortable, enjoying the moment.

* * *

"Your dad is a really great story teller". Naomi said excitedly and I laughed.

"Haven't your people told stories before"? I asked.

Being Native American, storytelling was somewhat a given in our culture. Naomi sighed and kicked a bit of sand with her foot.

"Our people are spread out; I haven't been a part of a tribe in a very long time".

As much as I wanted her to open up about her past and her culture, I wasn't going to push it, she would tell me whenever she was ready to.

"So when are you going to introduce us to your friend Jacob, I'm starting to feel left out".

I turned to see Sam and Emily smiling at us, their adorable infant daughter asleep in Sam's arms. I felt Naomi slid up behind me and softly take my hand, something she did when she got around new people and was nervous. It's crazy how I was beginning to get to know her little habits. I stepped forward and shook Sam's free hand and gave Emily a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't take it personal; things just kind of slip my mind". I said with a smile.

I gave a gentle tug on Naomi's hand and moved her to stand in front of me, wrapping an arm around loosely around her waist.

"Sam, Emily, this is my friend Naomi, Naomi, this is Sam and Emily and the cute little buddle of adorableness asleep in Sam's arms is Nala, their daughter".

Naomi leaned forward a bit and politely gave a greeting, shaking hands.

"She is so beautiful, you guys are so lucky". She said to the couple in front of us, gazing at the pink bundle.

Emily gushed and hugged Sam closer, anytime someone talked her family brought a huge smile to her face.

"Thank you, and nice meeting you, I see your keeping a smile on Jake's face, haven't seen him smile in a long time". Emily said, looking at me with that ever present motherly affection she held for us all.

"I was just going to go get the dessert, did you guys want any"? She asked then, turning to leave but I stopped her, Emily was always doing too much.

"It's okay Em, I'll get it you stay here with Sam and enjoy the company".

Emily smiled at me, one that was grateful. Naomi smiled at me, something I couldn't identify shining in her eyes.

"I'll help you".

I gave her waist a squeeze and released her and watched as she made her way over towards the house, those dangerously delicious hips catching my attention once again.

"Is she the one Jacob"?

I was being addressed again and I was caught with my mouth hanging open. Sam was the only one standing with me now; Emily had taken Nala and joined our group by the fire. I didn't have to ask what he was referring too.

"No, Sam she's not my imprint".

Even as I said that, it was like a tiny pain went through my heart. I didn't understand why she couldn't be, she made me happy and it was like we clicked with each other. We had things that people looked for when they found there soul mates. I hated imprinting just that much more. Sam cursed and gave me a pat on my back.

"Dude, I'm sorry".

I laughed and gave him a soft push.

"Don't worry about it, I'm cool, I'm happy Sam, if I went my whole life worrying about imprinting, I could I ever enjoy myself".

Sam gave me a smile.

"Just be careful". He said softly before he made his way back to Emily.

I watched him a bit, looking on as he went to his family and somehow hoping one day that could be me. I stared at the couple for a little while longer before I turned away, making my towards Emily's house to help Naomi with the desserts. When I entered the kitchen, Naomi was standing on a chair, trying to reach some paper plates that were on the very top shelf of one of Emily's cabinets. I leaned in the doorway and watched her. She was standing on a chair, on one leg, reaching with her arm, her fingertips just out of reach of the plates.

"You could have just waited for me to do that". I laughed and Naomi snorted, which made me laugh even more.

"Just because I'm not a giant, doesn't mean I don't have skills". She said, looking at me over her shoulder with an eyebrow raised.

I crossed my arms and refused to move.

"Well come on Miss "I got skills", show me what you got". I challenged.

Naomi gave me a smile and turned back towards the cabinet. She jumped using the leg perched on the chair with impressive agility and without falling landed softly with both feet on the chair, paper plates in hand. This time, I knew my mouth was hanging open. Naomi laughed at me and tossed me the plates; I caught them without even taking my eyes off of her.

"Close your mouth Jacob, you're going to catch flies".

I smiled at her and put the plates on Emily's kitchen table.

"Have to be honest with you, wasn't really expecting that".

Naomi placed her hands on her hips.

"There are a lot of things about me Jake that you won't expect".

After she said that, then she bit her lip and I knew she had said something she hadn't meant to. I decided to break the silence.

"C'mon spider monkey let's get you down before you injure something".

I stood in front of her with my arms open and Naomi smiled before she flew down into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist and her arms around my shoulders. I twirled her around and she laughed before I sat her down on the counter. We continued laughing for a minute then suddenly Naomi leaned forward and kissed me on my cheek, which was extremely close to my lips.

My laughter got caught in my throat.

My instincts kicked in and before she could pull away, my hand went to the back of her head, keeping her face near mine. I rubbed my thumb softly up her neck and her breath hitched. Of course the wolf inside me told me that this was a good sign and that I should continue, which I did. I moved closer so that now I was standing between her legs and leaned my face towards her neck, inhaling her scent deeply.

When I pulled back, our faces were now inches apart and my eyes went towards her lips.

I wanted to kiss her. I was _going _to kiss her.

But this time I wasn't going to push it, I was going to be patient and allow her to decide what she wanted. I didn't move any closer, our lips just barely there, our breath mingling. I felt Naomi's hands grab the bottom of my shirt and internally I prayed she would make a decision soon because I really didn't know how much more self-control I had left. Then she leaned forward and our lips briefly touched before we were interrupted.

"Moving fast aren't we Jacob"?

I never hated Leah more than I did at that moment.

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A/N: Sorry for the long wait for an update, had a lot of people to entertain over the holidays, but I promise I will be updating more regularly. Thanks for everyone who has been following the story, and I'm thinking that maybe in the next chapter, I might reveal what Naomi has been hiding. Stay tuned and of course reviews are always welcomed.


	17. Want

_**A/N: Once again, sorry for the long wait in an update. Hope you enjoy **_

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*Want*

_**Naomi's POV**_

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't speak. All I saw was him. Jacob invaded all my senses and I couldn't function. My body called to him and I followed. His touch was scorching and I couldn't get enough. His lips were right there but he wouldn't move any closer and his eyes searched mine, filled with desire and something else I couldn't decipher, almost as if he was leaving the decision to move forward up to me. I fisted my hand in his shirt, the heat I felt building about to reach its peak. I was going to kiss him. I leaned forward, our lips just barely touching before we were disrupted.

"Moving pretty fast aren't we Jacob?"

I was still so dazed that I didn't even turn to look at the person speaking, my whole body still craving for his touch. Jacob cursed loudly and moved his eyes from my face to whomever it was that had stolen our moment.

"Leah, Fuck off". He growled and his tone made me snap out of my trance and I turned towards the door. Leah had a small smirk on her face and her arms were crossed as she leaned casually against the door frame. She gave a short sarcastic laugh and moved some hair out of her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that was on your mind, my dear leader". She said that annoying smirk still on her face.

To my displeasure, Jacob moved away from me and I wanted to pout in disappointment but I had to remember that we were not alone. He had the scariest look on his face that i have ever seen and his hands were beginning to shake slightly.

"Leah you need to leave". Jake said softly and to my surprise she laughed and the shaking in his hands seemed to increase. Leah stepped forward until she was standing directly in front of him and the smirk that was once on her face was now replaced with a scowl that did not fit her.

"Why"? She snarled. "So you can fuck your little girlfriend"?

I gasp in shock. Who the hell did she think she was? I pushed myself off the countertop and stood behind Jacob trying to keep myself in check. Jake took a step forward, closing the gap in the between them, his tall frame towering over her own.

"Are you jealous Lee-Lee"? "Mad because I never showed you that kind of attention"?

Leah shoved him hard and Jake was forced back, making me jump out the way to avoid getting my foot stepped on.

"Don't you fucking call me that". She said, her whole entire body beginning to shake. Jacob didn't relent. He moved so fast I almost missed him. He grabbed Leah by her arm and shoved her roughly against the counter we were just occupying.

"Don't you fucking talk about Naomi like that".

Leah snatched her arm away from his hold and then turned towards me and I blinked in surprise.

"Wow, you must have put some kind of spell over him, after what a month"? "You already have him turning on his people".

I opened my mouth to speak but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.

"Don't even say anything because it won't even matter, he is just going to fuck you and leave you like all the rest".

Jacob growled and moved forward again but I stopped him with a hand on his arm, my eyes never leaving Leah's face. I moved passed Jake and was now standing in front of her and she looked me up and down, an amused smile on her lips.

"What the hell is your problem"? I asked her softly and she laughed out loud and moved closer to me.

"You are my problem". "This…". She waved her hand between me and Jacob. "Is my problem". "You see Jacob and I know you see gold, but he deserves someone better and you are not it".

I chuckled. This chick was completely insane.

I couldn't get any closer than I was so I remained where I stood but the smile was wiped from my face.

"Let me tell you one thing, I like being with Jacob, he makes me laugh and I don't have to worry about being anything but myself around him". "It's so easy, just like breathing, he is my fresh air".

I could feel Jake's eyes on my back but I refused to turn and look at him. I basically just admitted out loud that I was falling for him. Leah laughed again and it made me see red.

"Bullshit". She said quietly. "Your just a quick lay for him sweetie, I hate to break it too you".

Leah was still talking but I heard none of it. All I felt was anger. I saw Jacob step in front of me and push her backward and in return she shoved his arm out the way, but I had to keep it together. All I wanted to do was rip her head off. And then start on her body. I wasn't going to allow her to speak to me this way.

"Fuck Leah, do you really need to do this now"? "You don't fucking know her and you need to get the hell out this kitchen before someone does something they are going to regret, mainly me". Jacob was yelling now and I was pretty sure the whole beach heard him. I didn't. I couldn't hear a thing.

My body had a mind of its own and once again I found myself moving passed Jacob towards the angry woman in front of him. She stopped shouting at him and turned those angry ebony eyes towards me and cocked an eyebrow in question. I stood there for a second, the anger still coursing through me at an incredible speed. Leah placed a hand on her hip and gave me a taunting little smirk and I snapped.

My fist went back and then connected with her nose.

* * *

I didn't know how long it took to finally pull us apart or how many people it took to do just that, but when it was all said and done, there was a hell of lot of people now in Emily's kitchen than it was before. My heart was beating a million miles per hour and I could still feel the anger coursing through my veins and when I saw Leah make to move forward again I reacted, my body automatically moving to meet her, until an iron arm snaked around my waist and successfully pulled me off my feet and against a hard chest, I could only assume it was Jacob because I never looked back, my eyes still completely trained on the angry female in front of me.

"Hold yourself grasshopper".

When it wasn't Jake's voice that spoke to me, it knocked me out of my trance and I turned around a bit to see the speaker. Embry gave me a quick wink before he directed his eyes back towards Leah and I followed his gaze. Jake had her arms behind her back and even as she thrashed around she couldn't get loose. He was saying something in her ear that I couldn't quite make out and besides Embry, the whole pack surrounded her. Didn't make a damn difference to me though, I still wasn't done with her. Leah looked in my direction and her frown deepened.

"This isn't over bitch". She spat.

I laughed and it sounded so manically that I was sure everyone was looking at me like I had three heads. I pushed Embry's arm away from my waist quickly before he could even register what I was doing and stormed towards Leah, who upon seeing my actions finally freed herself from Jake's hold and followed my lead.

But the boys around us were too quick.

Before either of us could reach each other, I was once again lifted from my feet, another iron arm thrown around my waist but this time I recognized Paul as my holder. Leah was being held back this time by Jared and I heard Jake tell him to take her outside. Her whole frame was shaking but she continued trying to make her way over to me, her eyes no longer ebony but a soft yellow color. She was close to phasing I could tell, but I still didn't care. She wanted to talk big, now she had to back up that shit. Leah was challenging me and my body felt it and I was reacting to it. I moved forward again but I couldn't move, Paul had an incredibly strong hold. I pushed against his arm roughly until it dropped, but before I could move again, he swiftly wrapped both arms around me and pulled me even tighter against his chest.

"You're a feisty one, I think I like you a little bit more". He said in my ear and I could hear the smile in his voice.

I couldn't focus, my entire mind clouded with anger but I couldn't direct that at the person I wanted too because of these overly strong werewolves, so I tried to calm down and get my mind off of ripping Leah a new asshole. She was finally carried out of the kitchen on Jared's shoulder and I could hear her frenzied growls even as the door closed. I felt Paul's grip loosen up just a bit but he didn't completely remove his arms from around me, not quite sure yet if I was stable.

"Are you cool"? He asked, leaning slightly over my side to look in my face.

I couldn't speak, if I did I was afraid the anger I was feeling would seep out of me and cause me to snap again so instead I gave a quick nod, my eyes staring at the door, half expecting Leah to come storming back in. But when the door opened again, it wasn't Leah like I was expecting, but Jacob. When his eyes find mine, he smiled, but I wasn't his normal one.

"Paul, go help with Leah, she is livid, at least more than usual".

I felt Paul give Jake a quick nod and then his arms slipped from my waist. He gave me a soft push and when I looked at him he gave me a wink which made me smile before he too went through the door. Once the door slammed shut, Jacob was now standing right in front of me, his eyes once again shining with an emotion that I couldn't identify. I stared back at him, still completely hyped up from my earlier altercation. Jake laughed.

"You are one tough cookie miss, Leah wants your head".

My eyes snapped towards the door and the anger that I was trying so hard to keep under control resurfaced. If she wanted my head, the bitch had to fight for it.

"Well, we can fix that". I said softly, making to move around Jacob.

He side stepped me quickly, an amused smirk on his lips.

"Hold on tiger, it just took us a good twenty minutes to get you two apart, not starting this again".

I wasn't listening; all I wanted was a good fight. I put a hand on Jacob's chest and pushed. He didn't move.

"Move Jacob". I said quietly

I pushed again but it was like trying to move a brick wall. He wouldn't budge. Jake gave me a mischievous grin and stepped closer.

"Make me little girl"

I stared at him indigently. Was he serious? Did he really want to go there with me? I was already fuming to the point where I was going to explode and now he was going to push it?

Fine!

I wanted a fight and since he was pressed to get his head knocked off, why should I to deny him that pleasure.

"Jacob, if you don't move out of my way you are going to regret it".

I was trying to reason with him because maybe all the craziness had confused him for a bit. But that taunting grin stayed on his face. I couldn't take it anymore.

I aimed a punch right to the side of his face.

It was almost like he was half expecting it, half surprised by it, but either way my fist didn't make it to where I wanted it too. Jacob had moved quickly to the side and grabbed my arm and pinned it against me. Before I could retaliate with another punch, in one fluid motion, he swung me over his shoulder and we were out the door.

"JACOB BLACK"! I screeched. "You put me down right now".

Jake laughed and gave my butt a quick tap. I gasped.

"That seemed to shut you up pretty fast". He chuckled and I hit him on his back.

"If you wanted me to leave, you could have said something, you didn't have to get all cave man on me". I was frustrated because I couldn't break loose, so yeah I was pouting a little bit.

"When you women get all worked up and agitated, it's extremely difficult to reason with you, believe me I know, I have two sisters".

I laughed despite how I was feeling at the moment. He did have a point.

The beach and the bonfire disappeared as Jake took us into the thick trees and I wanted to question where we were going, but even as I opened my mouth to do just that, he cut me off.

"No talking". He stated simply and I could hear the smile in his voice and for the third time tonight I was pouting like a two-year old.

Pretty soon the trees thinned out and without uttering a single syllable to me, Jake put me back on my feet. Once the blood had returned back to my head I looked around and realized that we were in the clearing, _our_ clearing. The place where we first met.

I turned to look at Jacob. He was leaning against a tree, his hands in his pockets and a soft smile on his face. I smiled back in return

"Why did you bring me here"? I asked quietly, slowing making my way towards him.

Jacob gave me a shrug, his eyes never leaving mine

"I figured this place gives you peace, so I brought you here so you can clear your head and cool off".

He was right, this place does give me peace and even as we stood here I could feel myself cooling off. I laughed softly and reached up and removed the scarf from around my head and shook out my hair, my thick waves falling around my shoulders.

"I guess I was a bit hot-headed back there". I admitted, and I could feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. My mom would be so disappointed in my behavior tonight. I had to salvage what little dignity I had left.

I was standing directly in front of Jake now and I couldn't look at him

"Jake I….."

I was going to apologize for what I did, but he didn't let me. The words got caught in my throat as he wrapped me tightly in an embrace, his arms around my waist, lifting me of my feet and bringing me against him. Jacob buried his face in my neck and I felt him inhale deeply.

"I said no talking". He said and as he spoke, his lips brushed slightly against my neck.

My head started to cloud again, but this time it wasn't from anger, but something else. I pulled back so that I could look at him and his eyes were half way closed as he stared at me. He didn't want me talking but at the moment I could only think of one thing I wanted to say.

"Kiss me Jacob".

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A/N: There you have it, another chapter done and our little Naomi is a firecracker is she not? Hmmmmmmm what kind of person can hold her own against werewolves with no problem? Find out soon…..thanks for reading.


	18. Change

_**A/N: I haven't decided yet if I'm ready to tell the secret Naomi has been keeping from Jake. Depends on how I feel at the end of this chapter. Guess you guys will have to wait and see **__**hehehe**_

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*Change*

_**Jacob's POV**_

"Kiss me Jacob".

One thing I learned from my mother and my sisters, the only thing that was cemented in my brain forever, was that when a girl told you to do something, you did it, no questioned asked. So I didn't even have to hesitate or think twice about what I was going to do

I stared into Naomi's eyes for just a brief second before I leaned down slowly and pressed my lips to hers. She gave a soft little whimper before she clung to me tighter and I could feel her fingers caressing the back of my neck. She tasted sweet, just like she smelled and I couldn't get enough. Without thinking, I deepened the kiss, running my tongue over her bottom lip, silently asking her for permission to explore her further. She complied and all the self-control I thought I had flew right out the fucking window

I devoured her.

Naomi moaned and I snapped, literally lost my damn mind. I cupped her generous backside with both hands and lifted her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist. On instinct I turned us around so that her back rested softly on the tree behind us and I continued my exploration of her sweet mouth. Naomi fingers moved from my neck and into my hair, softly removing the hair tie I had in to hold up my ponytail. My hair fell loose and she gripped it firmly. I groaned into her mouth and gripped her thighs tightly. I couldn't get enough of her. But I knew I had to cool off. I couldn't ruin this by going too far, too soon

Slowly I removed my lips from her own and Naomi gave a small noise of protest as I put her back down on her feet but I didn't let her go, my hands still around her waist, my thumbs softly running up her sides. I laid my forehead against hers and took deep calming breaths, both of us breathing deeply. Naomi tangled her hands in the bottom of my shirt and laid her head on my chest. I held her too me, so many emotions running through my thoughts at once.

"That was something else". I heard her say quietly then and a small smile graced my lips.

"Yeah, sweetheart indeed it was".

Naomi looked at me with a smile on her face and I thought I felt my heart explode. I had never seen so much happiness radiating off of one person's face before and I put it there, I was the one who had made her face light up. It felt damn good.

"I'm so happy; you make me very, very happy Jacob".

She gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face before. I caressed the side of her face softly, staring deeply into her cinnamon colored eyes. She wasn't my imprint but I didn't care. For the past couple months, I only saw her and nobody else. For the first time in a long time Bella never crossed my mind and the place I had reserved in my heart for her was slowly being taken by someone else, and she was standing right here with me now. I was falling in love with this woman and there was nothing I could do about it.

I gave Naomi another soft kiss on the lips, lingering a bit longer than was necessary.

"And you have changed my world, beautiful".

She gave me another blinding smile and hugged me tightly. I could have stayed like this, in this moment forever.

* * *

We spent the majority of our time getting to know each other, what we liked and disliked. I found out that Naomi had a strong liking for nature and we spent a lot of time outside, most of the time around the reservation, and I allowed her to discover different little paths, that each lead to different places. I also found out that she loved fruit and ate some almost every day, no matter what kind it was. This time together also gave us an opportunity to explore each other more deeply intimately. I was normally the one (of course) who couldn't keep my hands to myself, but I was ecstatic that she allowed me my exploration, getting to know her body. Naomi had a particular sensitive spot right behind her ear that I loved to play with, just so I could hear her breath get caught in her throat and feel her fingers grip my arm tighter. But no matter how far she would let me go, I never allowed myself to take it that deep. If we were going to move onto that level, I needed to know that it was because she wanted too. So even while the wolf raged inside me, I held myself back. I wasn't going to ruin this by getting to anxious too soon.

We were at the shop again and I finally had some free time to continue to work on Naomi's car. She had brought by some dinner for me and the guys after she had left work and now she had perched herself on top of one my cars and watched me. I was trying not to pay any attention to her, but I could feel her eyes on my back and it was beginning to drive me crazy….in a very good way.

"Honey, if you don't stop staring, I'm going to be forced to come over there".

Naomi gave a small little giggle, the sound vibrating off the walls around us.

"Maybe I want you to come over here".

I looked at her over my shoulder. She had her head cocked to the side so that her thick hair fell around her shoulders a small teasing smile on her lips. I grinned and closed the hood of her car. How I ever thought I was going to get any work done with her around was beyond me. I wiped off my hands and arms before I stalked over to her. Naomi gave me a come wither look that I couldn't resist. She moved forward so that she now sat on the hood of the car instead of the roof and before she could slide all the way off, I stood in between her thighs, both of her legs resting on each side of my hips.

"If you wanted me to come over all you had to do was ask, sweetheart".

And before she had a chance to answer back, I took her lips with my own and I felt her moan against my mouth. My hand traveled to her back and I pushed her against me, her arms snaking around my neck and pulling me even closer. God, I just couldn't get enough of her. I was just contemplated whether or not I should run my hands under her shirt to feel her soft skin when we were suddenly disturbed.

"Whoa PG-13 you guys, my virgin eyes can't take all this". Quil's voice boomed over to us, Embry following behind him

Naomi hid her face in my chest and I laughed. She wasn't shy with me, but she was when it came to everyone else. I tilted her face up towards mine by her chin and gave her a quick peck before turning my attention toward Quil.

"There is nothing virgin or PG-13 about you man".

Embry laughed and Quil shoved him, which resulted in a little scuffle. I moved away from Naomi and helped her down. She gave me a small smile and straightened out her blouse.

"Jake, I want to come and meet my family". She blurted out suddenly and I dropped a tool I was picking up in shock. Naomi was blushing so deeply that her cheeks were a dark red color, contrasting a bit against her mocha colored skin.

"I know its short notice, but I want them to meet you".

I smiled, regaining my composure.

"I would love to beautiful".

She smiled at me and turned her attention towards the two goof balls still wrestling in the middle of my work bay.

"Quil, Em, I would love it if you guys came along too".

The wrestle stopped, but not before Embry gave a Quil one more smack on the back of the head. Quil cursed, punched Em in the chest and turned back towards Naomi.

"I would love too precious, but I'm watching Claire tonight, so I'm going to have to pass". If there was anything or anyone who could get Quil to miss out on some free food, it would be his imprint, Claire.

Naomi smiled, understanding who Claire was to him. "Its fine, maybe next time, tell her I said hi".

Quil laughed, talking about his imprint always put him into a good mood. "Will do".

Naomi turned her attention towards Embry then, who was flipping his way through a magazine.

"What about you Em, are you free"?

Embry looked up and gave her a smile and a wink. "Of course love, I'm in".

Naomi squealed, literally squealed like an overly excited teenage girl and threw herself into me. I guess she was just that thrilled. I couldn't blame her though, I was excited too. She was finally letting me into her world.

* * *

Around seven o'clock that evening, me and Embry were pulling up in front of Naomi's home. I had told Em to dress nicely because this really meant a lot to her, so we both looked pretty damn good. I cut the engine and we got out, shoving each other a bit as we walked up the front steps.

"Are you nervous man"? "This is like an official meet and greet with your girl's family". Embry said, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets. I laughed and rang the doorbell once.

"I'm cool; I have nothing to be worried about".

Embry snorted and rolled his eyes at me just as the front door was opened. I was expecting Naomi or even her mom Natalie to greet us, instead though it was someone else.

"You must be Jacob and Embry, I'm Camille, Naomi's older sister, and dinner should be ready in a few".

At first glance, she almost (and I said almost) reminded me of my easily angered beta Leah. She had an air of confidence that swam around her. She looked like Naomi a bit, except that Camille was a bit taller and instead of the thick wavy tresses Naomi adorned, her hair was bone straight, hanging so long that it almost touched her butt. Camille was beautiful too and I was convinced now that it was a family trait. She looked us over and laughed.

"Come on boys, you will catch a cold if you guys stand out here too long".

She looked past me to glimpse Embry, gave a small smile and walked back into the house, leaving the door open so that we could follow. I shook my head a bit and chuckled.

"So Em what did you…."?

I stopped talking as soon as I caught sight of Embry's face. He was staring at the spot where Camille was just standing, his eyes glazed over and his mouth slightly open. He turned to me slowly, a silly grin plastered to his face and I knew then.

Embry had just imprinted.

_**SHIT!**_

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A/N: Next chapter, you will all get what you have been waiting for, the big reveal!


	19. Surprise

_**A/N: Hey Guys! Back again. The whole Embry imprinting thing just literally came to me out of nowhere. I like Embry and he always seemed like the one who got left out…..so I said what the hell!**_

_**This chapter may be a little long because I want to reveal to you all what Naomi and her family really are so just bear with me. I will be staying in Jacob's POV for the majority of this chapter because I want you guys to be able to be in his head once he finds out.**_

_**Many of you have probably already figured it out….if you go back and read through the chapters there are certain clues that give it away. It may not be that much of a reveal but it will be interesting to see how this will affect the relationship between our couple.**_

_**Okay…..here it is Chapter 19. Sorry for the wait. **_

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*Surprise*

_**Jacob's POV**_

Embry continued to stare after Camille, who had been gone now for a good five minutes. I shoved him hard and his eyes snapped in my direction.

"Quit drooling man"! "Fine time for this shit to happen".

I was irritated like hell, and I know I shouldn't take it out on Em, I mean it wasn't like he could help it, but of all times he could imprint, why the fuck did it have to be now. He gave me a sheepish smile and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sorry dude, I couldn't help it".

I sighed. This much I knew and it was no point in making him feel bad over something he couldn't control. I bumped him with my shoulder and gave him a small smile.

"It's cool; just try to keep it normal ok"? "Try not to stare too much; I want to at least let Naomi know what's up first". I wanted tonight to be as normal as possible for her. She had a great time with my family and I wanted the same thing to happen with hers.

Embry gave me a quick nod and gave my shoulder a pat with his hand.

"I got you".

I chuckled nervously and then we both ventured in the house.

* * *

I swear, if Emily was here to see just how much food was spread on this table she would be jealous, extremely jealous. I never knew anyone besides Emily who could ever dish out enough food to feed a whole pack of ravenous werewolves. But I think now she might have a tad bit of competition.

"Natalie, this looks great, you really didn't have to go through so much trouble for us".

Naomi's mom gave me a slight wave of her hand and a smile.

"Oh hush Jacob, it was no trouble at all, plus Naomi told me how big you guys appetite are, so we just wanted to make sure there was enough".

I looked at Naomi, who was busy setting the table, and gave her a smile, which promptly caused her cheeks to turn a deep rosy color. I was touched.

Natalie saw our little exchange and when I turned back to face her she gave me kind smile, her eyes locked with mine. I couldn't understand what it was with her but I felt like I have known her forever.

"You can thank Camille for the food though; she cooked and prepared almost everything". Natalie said, and Camille gave us a smile over her shoulder from her position at the stove.

I knew it wouldn't be long before Embry finally broke through his resolve and spoke up.

"Thanks Cam". He said. "Everything looks delicious".

Where the hell he got the nickname from is beyond me and I was almost half expecting Camille to say something about it, but when she finished at the stove, she gave Embry a huge smile, flipped her hair casually to the side as she passed him and gave him a wink on her way to the dining table. Embry never took his eyes off of her.

I laughed. I would never understand the shit that came with imprinting.

I shoved him in the side to get his attention and he looked at me with agitation.

"You're staring". I said, trying to hold back the laugh that was struggling to escape.

Embry chuckled, but his eyes continued to follow Camille's every move.

"I can't help it man, she's fucking beautiful".

We took our places at the table, Embry of course taking a seat directly across from Camille, and I took my seat next to Naomi, our hands intertwining under the table. I looked over at her and smiled.

She was breathtaking to me. I found that this was the one thing I could relate too with Embry about.

* * *

Dinner was filled with a lot of stories and laughter. I was comfortable here, I literally felt at home. If you looked in on us from the outside, you would think that we were all one big family. I haven't felt so welcomed by people I barely knew in a long time. The food was delicious and me and Embry had our share and now we were enjoying the delectable apple pie and ice cream that was served.

"How was everything"? Naomi's soft voice reached my ear and I turned to her and gave her a smile.

"Everything was great sweetheart".

She gave me that brilliant smile that I loved and leaned over and gave me a soft kiss to my cheek, pulling away with a slight blush on her cheeks. I loved it.

Natalie stood to her feet after a while and began clearing some dishes away from the table, smiling at us all.

"You kids go ahead and do what young people do nowadays, I'll clean everything up".

She was just reaching for the last few plates, when Camille quickly stood to her feet and took a plate from her hand.

"No, mom its ok we have it, you have to get ready for work soon anyway".

Natalie smiled at her and put down the plates she had remaining in her hands. She gave Camille a kiss on her cheek and spoke softly in that unfamiliar language and caused her daughter to smile. Camille moved quietly to the kitchen and I watched Natalie make her way over to me. I stood to my feet before she had reached me completely. She gave me a smile.

"It was nice seeing you again Jacob". She said softly and I grinned.

"It was nice seeing you again too".

Natalie laughed and surprised me when she pulled me in for a hug. I wrapped my arms around her hesitantly and I breathed her in. I was briefly reminded of my mother.

I felt Natalie softly pat me on my back, the same my mom always did. She pulled back and gave me a very affectionate smile.

"You take care of yourself Jake; you have a healthy soul and a strong heart, always allow what you feel inside to lead you through the uncertain".

Natalie gave me one more fleeting smile before she pulled away from me, making her way to Embry, giving him the same motherly hug before she disappeared upstairs. I didn't know why she said what she did to me or even what it meant. But I knew those words were going to be stuck in my head for a very long time.

I looked for Naomi and found her cleaning off the table with some kind of rag. I couldn't take it anymore.

In three strides I walked over to her, her back facing me. She wasn't expecting me to be so close because when she turned around and found me less than an inch away from her; she gave a loud gasp in surprise. I didn't even hesitate when I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a hug, slightly lifting her off her feet.

"I've been wanting to do that all night honey".

Naomi laughed and pulled back so she could see my face, and gave me a kiss.

"And I wanted to do _that_ all night". She said a sexy smile on her lips. I grinned and pulled her back close, my lips connecting with hers again, this kiss lasting a little bit longer than the first one.

"C'mon, let's take a walk". I said quietly, taking her hand with my own. I really wanted to get her alone and all to myself for a moment.

Naomi gave me a shy smile and allowed me to pull her towards the door. I looked around for Embry and found him still sitting at the table, his eyes trained on the doorway that led to the kitchen, where Camille was at currently. I wanted to laugh but I didn't. This was why I hated imprinting so much. Embry didn't know Camille at all and yet she was now everything for him, and she didn't even know it.

"Hey Em, we're going to hang out for a minute, are you cool staying here"?

Embry finally tore his eyes away from the kitchen doorway to look at me.

"Yeah man, I'm cool, you guys go ahead, and I'll stay here". He said, waving his hand lazily in our direction.

I laughed when Naomi gave me a confused look. It was worth a try. I knew Embry wasn't going to go anywhere. I hugged her to my side snugly and together we walked out the door.

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Camille's POV

I really didn't need mom cleaning up after us, so that's why I volunteered with the dishes. But that wasn't my _only_ reason.

I also wanted to get away from the prying eyes of the guy that came with Naomi's guest, Embry I think his name was. All through dinner, I could feel his eyes on me and when I would look directly at him, hoping that he might turn away in embarrassment of being caught, he would stare right back, almost as if he wanted to look directly into my soul.

All in all it was completely nerve-wracking.

I stopped washes dishes for a minute and let out a deep breath, wiping some of my hair out my face. I would be lying though if I said that I didn't get a tingling feeling in my body every time I caught him staring at me. I couldn't explain it; it was almost like I _wanted _him to keep looking at me like I was the only woman he ever wanted to see again.

I laughed. I didn't even know the guy and I wanted to jump his bones. What was wrong with me?

"Do you need any help with anything"?

I jumped at the sound of his voice and I turned around too quickly, the plate I was holding flying out my hand and crashing to the floor, breaking into pieces. I cursed and bent down to pick them up but my finger got cut on one of the edges.

"_Shit"!_ I hissed, standing quickly back to my feet. I was about to bring my bleeding finger to my lips when I was stopped.

I didn't even see Embry move, but all of a sudden he was standing right in front of me and I got a chance to notice just how tall he was. He was staring at me with the same intense gaze as he was earlier. I couldn't move. Slowly, he brought my injured finger to his lips, and without taking his eyes off of mine, placed it in his mouth. I felt his tongue swirl around my finger and I gasped. I felt the heat build between my legs and I wanted him, right then and there. In my head I was imagining how his mouth would feel on other places, on other body parts.

Embry pulled my finger slowly from his mouth and gave it a final soft kiss. He gave me a smile and I felt my knees get weak.

"You might still need a Band-Aid". He said quietly and his voice knocked me out of my lust filled trance.

I laughed nervously and moved some hair behind my ear.

"Do you want to go and watch some television"? I asked

Embry grinned and I couldn't help but smile back. What the hell was going on with me?

"Sure, I would love that".

I gave a nod and moved passed him into our den, feeling his eyes on my back the whole time. I smiled. A girl can get use to feeling like this.

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Jacob's POV

I couldn't keep my hands off of her and I was trying to touch any place that I could. We were at our favorite place, our secret spot. My lips broke away from hers to move down her neck and I was rewarded with a soft moan. Naomi's hands gripped my shoulders and I connected our lips again, tasting her. This woman was going to be the death of me, I was certain. When the need for air got overwhelming, I pulled away, trying to steady my heart. Naomi smiled at me and placed one more sweet kiss on my lips. I grinned.

"You're going to kill me sweetheart". I said my voice hoarse with lust.

Naomi giggled and pulled me close, laying her head down on my chest, her nose tickling me.

"I feel the same way mister".

I laughed and placed a kiss on the top of her head, breathing in her scent deeply. I couldn't get enough of her, and I don't think I ever wanted to. She was my little slice of sunshine. And when my life was filled with nothing but grey skies and clouds, I definitely wasn't letting this go without a fight.

Naomi moved away from me after a while and I just watched her. I watched how her hair moved slightly in the soft wind, the way her hips moved when she walked, how the moonlight bounced off her chocolate mocha skin, making it glow. How could anyone be so beautiful?

Naomi turned to face me again, but her eyes were avoiding mine and she was biting her lip. I smiled, knowing her to well now.

"What's on your mind honey"? I asked.

She let out a breath and finally her eyes connected with mine.

"I want to tell you something Jake".

I moved closer to her, caressing her cheek softly and her eyes fluttered close.

"You can tell me anything sweetheart".

Naomi smiled a little and opened her eyes so she could look into mine.

"I think I'm falling in love with you Jacob".

My heart stopped beating and I couldn't breathe. I had never had anyone besides Bella say that they loved me, but this time, I could feel that Naomi really meant it. I could feel that she loved me not just as a friend but as something more. My face was starting to hurt from the wide grin that was plastered to my face. This night couldn't get any better.

I moved forward quickly and my lips took hers with so much urgency that it caught her off guard and she tumbled back a bit, before my arm snaked around her waist and brought her body up against my own. I was trying to tell her through my actions that I felt the exact same way. But I was never the one who held back a damn thing, so when our lips broke apart again, I told her exactly what I was thinking.

"I love you babe, I'm in love with you".

Naomi smiled and pulled me back down to her, her soft lips overtaking mine. I moved us back until we hit a tree and without much effort, lifted her up, my hands gripping her hips. I could smell how aroused she was and it drove me insane. All I wanted to do was rip these clothes away from her body and really see all of her, every last inch. But I wasn't going to push it. I was moving on her terms and if she wanted to go further, we would, but only if she really wanted too. Naomi broke away and gave me the most intense, sexy and smoldering gaze I had ever witnessed.

"Make love to me Jacob".

For the second time tonight, my heart stopped. This woman was really going to kill me. As much as I wanted to take her, mark her as my own, I wasn't going to allow it to go down here, in the middle of a fucking forest. But if we kept going on like we were doing, I didn't know how much more restraint my self-control could take.

"Believe me honey, I would love nothing more than to do just that, but this is not a typical setting I would want us to be in".

Naomi smiled her eyes bright and beautiful. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my waist, her head resting on my chest.

"I love you Jacob". She said softly. I smiled. Someone was smiling down on me lately.

I kissed the top of her head, and moved my arms around her shoulders.

"And I you sweetheart, c'mon lets head back, I don't want Embry freaking out your sister".

I turned us back towards the house, and hand in hand, we began to make our way back. Naomi looked up at me, her gaze questioning.

"What was up with Em tonight"? "He wasn't acting like his normal self".

I snorted, almost forgetting about what happened before we even walked into the house.

"I'll tell you, I just don't want to get into it right now, I want to enjoy this moment".

Naomi smiled and didn't say anything else about it. I appreciated that she didn't push me. One of things I loved about her.

We were moving back through the thick trees in comfortable silence when I saw movement.

I pulled on Naomi's hand to get her to stop and she turned to look at me, her eyes confused. I searched the area in front of us; my senses peaked trying to catch the movement again. The bushes in front of us moved again and I pushed Naomi behind me, my fists clenched at my side as I tried to control the tremors that were beginning to wrack my body in anticipation. I needed to be prepared for anything.

"What is it Jake"? Naomi asked me quietly but I hushed her, my eyes planted to the area in front of us. Something was here.

The bushes moved one more time before I began to make out what I had seen earlier. The creature growled and I pushed Naomi backward. I guess it didn't like that. The thing lunged forward and came into the moonlight.

I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head.

The wolf was _huge_! It had a beautiful white coat with a splash of black that covered its right side, all the way up to its face. It bared its teeth at me and I felt my skin prickle with the challenge. The wolf was extremely patient, almost as if it was waiting for something, like it was waiting for me. It was too patient to be just a regular animal. This wolf was not one of my own. I heard Naomi give a soft gasp behind me, but I didn't turn around, I wasn't about to leave my back opened.

"Honey, go back to the house, I don't want you getting hurt".

Call me crazy, but it was like this wolf knew and understood what I had just said. It turned its yellow eyes towards me and growled, so deep that I almost phased right then and there. It lowered its head to the ground and I could see its back legs flex and I knew that it was beginning to lunge. I was going to be prepared. I was allowing the tremors to take over my body just as the wolf took its first steps towards, but Naomi appeared suddenly in between us.

"Naomi"! I screamed. "Move out the way"!

But she wasn't looking in my direction. Instead she was staring at the wolf in front of us.

"_To-dah". _She said loudly and to my general astonishment the wolf stopped.

Naomi took a step forward, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"_To-nuest-chee-shee-dah". _She said softly, her voice breaking a little bit.

The wolf gave her a long fleeting look, before it slowly turned around and walked away, trudging back through the bushes.

To say I was completely fucking speechless would be an understatement. What the hell was going on?

Naomi had her back still turned to me and I took a hesitant step forward.

"Naomi, what the hell was that"? "What are you dealing with"?

She took a deep breath and her shoulders shook. I was expecting her to tell me that maybe that huge animal was a pet of her family and that they had to keep in the woods because it was just too damn big. But the words that came out her mouth then, were something that I was never ever going to expect.

Naomi finally turned back to face me and when her eyes locked on mine, she let the tears fall down her face.

"I am you Jake". "I am what you are".

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A/N: To-dah- means no

_**to-nuest-chee-shee-dah- means do not come here**_

_**As always please review and thanks for reading **_


	20. Apart

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Reviews make me very happy *insert cheesy little grin*. I'm ecstatic that you guys are enjoying the story.**_

_**But I won't take a lot of time….I know you are all anxious to get on with the chapter. Just a bit of caution though, you may not like Jake's actions and attitude in the next few chapters, but don't judge him too much, our guy will be dealing with a lot.**_

_**Enjoy.**_

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*Apart*

_**Naomi's POV**_

The tears fell down my face and there was nothing I could do to stop them. He knew. Jacob knew everything now and pretty soon he would know more. Everything I had worked so hard for in the last couple months was going to be destroyed. Once Jake found out about our tribal history, he would hate me, and so would everybody else.

The realization of this situation hit me hard and the sob that I was trying so hard to hold in was released, and all I wanted was to have Jacob wrap me tightly in his embrace and whisper how everything will be ok.

But he didn't.

He just stared at me, and for the first time since I met him, it made me feel uncomfortable.

I took a couple of deep calming breaths and took a hesitant step forward, but Jake moved back, his eyes searching mine intently. I stopped. I wasn't moving again until he asked me too.

"What the hell did you just say Naomi"? He asked and this was the first time his voice made me flinch.

I closed my eyes briefly, willing the tears away. He was asking me to say it again, but I don't think my heart could really take too much more. But Jacob deserved the truth. And no matter much it hurt me, he deserved to know everything.

I sighed and ran a hand over my wet cheek.

"I am what you are Jake".

I barley spoke above a whisper, but I knew he caught every word. The look on Jake's face was indescribable and it made my heart break even further.

He took a step towards me a bit, shaking his head.

"So are you telling me that you're like us"?

His eyes felt like they were burning holes into my face with the intensity of which he was gazing at me. I didn't look at him, couldn't look him in the eyes as I spoke.

"Yes".

Jacob shook his head and laughed. His laughter scared me and didn't fit him at all. It was so bitter and detached.

"I don't fucking believe you". He snarled, and without meaning too, my eyes met his.

Jake was furious. His hands were shaking so bad that it was amazing he hadn't phased right then. The outline of his body was blurring consistently and I could tell it was costing him a great amount of effort to keep everything together.

All I wanted to do was run into his arms and tell him how sorry I was. How I was sorry that I never trusted him enough to tell him my secret like he had done with me. I couldn't do anything now to fix what I had done, but I wanted To make this right, make us right again.

"Jake, I'm so sorry".

I couldn't even finish. I wanted to say more, needed to say more, but the words got caught in my throat. Ever single emotion a person could possibly feel, I felt in that one moment. Jacob looked at me as if he was seeing me for the first time.

"After I told you everything about who I was, you couldn't even give me the same courtesy".

I opened my mouth to speak but Jake hushed me when he put a hand. His body shaking so much now that it looked painfully.

"I can't right now Naomi, I have to go".

He turned swiftly on his feet and began making his way back towards the trees. He stopped just before he reached them, turning a bit to look at me over his shoulder.

"Tell Embry I'll meet up with him later".

And without another word to me, he left, the sound of clothes ripping vibrating loudly in the quiet night air.

I lost it then.

My legs gave away and I fell to my knees, the violent sobs coming one after another, shaking my body until it hurt. I was going to lose him. I was going to lose the one thing in this world that had ever made me feel normal. And once Jacob found out more about me and my family, I might never speak to him again.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and it felt like my heart had ripped in two.

I hadn't felt this alone and broken since my dad died.

* * *

I stayed like that, on the forest floor, for what seemed like hours. I cried until I couldn't anymore, my body weak and tired. The look on Jacob's face was like a shot right through my heart, and it hurt. I was hoping that Jacob would have come back, and we could have worked through this together.

But he never did.

I slowly pulled myself to my feet and without looking to see where I was going, I began to make my way back home. I couldn't believe how such a wonderful night could end so badly. All I wanted right now was Jacob. And he wasn't here.

When I finally, after what seems like hours, made it back to our front porch I spotted my sister and Embry, both sitting next to each other on our front steps, laughing and talking. Immediately I became envious and I turned around, trying not to be spotted. I would just have to climb in through my bedroom window. But I didn't make it too far. Embry yelled for me and jumped up from the steps, jogging over to me.

"Hey shorty, where's Jake"?

The mention of his name brought on a fresh wave of emotions and I turned towards Embry quickly and threw myself into his chest, gripping his shirt in desperation.

"Whoa, whoa, what's wrong"? Em asked me, but I couldn't answer.

I clung to Embry like I would have done to Jacob. He was the closest thing I could get to the man I had fallen in love with and I didn't want to use Embry like that, but I needed something to ease my pain. His warmth was welcoming and his arms were strong and it was what I needed. I didn't think I could cry anymore tonight, but wrapped in Embry's embrace I did. My legs got weak and I began to sink to ground again, but this time I wasn't alone. Embry never let me go and went right with me. In the distance I heard Camille jump to her feet and began to quickly make her way to us.

"Naomi, sweetie what happened"? He asked quietly.

I told him everything. I told Embry everything that I didn't tell Jacob. I was done keeping secrets. I lost Jacob and now after spilling everything to Em, I knew I was going to lose him too, and it was only a matter of time before he also took off into the woods himself, shaking with uncontrollable anger.

But Embry never left.

He rocked me softly, whispering that it was going to be okay, and I was grateful for the embrace but I knew things were never going to be the same.

"He's gone Embry, and it's my entire fault". I said quietly.

I heard Embry snort and he pushed me back a bit so that he could see my face.

"It's not your fault sweetheart, Jake is being an asshole". "And if you ask me, I don't think he is being fair, you didn't leave when he told you about us".

I looked at Embry for a long moment, trying to will myself to believe what he was telling me. But then I felt the dull ache of my heart and it was the only thing I could hear at the moment.

Camille reached us then and bent down next to us.

"Naomi, what happened what's wrong"?

Her voice was panicked and I could feel her hands on my hair, but I refused to let go of Embry, the heat radiating from him the only thing keeping me together. I didn't have enough energy left to say what happened all over again so I just shook my head slightly, indicating to her that I didn't want to talk about it just know. Camille stopped her questions and became silent, for which I was grateful. But i turned my head so that I could partially see her.

"It was Aaron". I whispered and Camille's eyes hardened immediately, turning her head sharply to look at the thick trees behind us, as if she could spot him. I knew he wasn't there and I was happy that he wasn't. I didn't want to see my brother right now at the moment.

"Come on honey, let's get you into bed". Embry said softly and without much effort, lifted me in his arms and began walking back towards our front porch, Camille walking beside us.

My eyes closed, and I wasn't even jostled as I was taken upstairs to my room. Before I knew it I was being laid on my bed and the sheets being tucked over me. I felt Camille climb in behind me and her hands began to softly caress my head, her fingers running through my hair. I thought I saw Embry give her a kiss on the cheek but I probably imagined it. Then his handsome face was directly in front of mine.

"I'm going to go talk to his dumb ass now ok beautiful"?

I nodded, my brain beginning to shut down from sheer exhaustion. Embry gave me a smile and a soft, quick peck to my cheek. I saw him give Camille one more smile before he turned around and walked towards my bedroom door. I sat up a bit.

"Hey Em"? I called out to him and he stopped, turning a little to face me.

"Yeah"?

I swallowed and fought down the new tears that were surfacing.

"Can you tell Jake that I'm really, really sorry"? "Tell him that I wasn't going to keep it a secret for long, I was going to tell him, I was just scared".

I stopped, my throat closing over the sob that wanted to escape.

"And tell him that I still, even with everything, love him".

Embry gave me a kind smile and a nod

"I will sweetheart, now get some rest".

He turned then and walked out the room and was so quiet that I barely heard the front door close. I turned and laid my head on Camille's lap, allowing her to detangle my hair softly with her fingers. There were no words that needed to be said. I was hurting and my sister was here for me, but she also knew that I would talk about what I was going through when I was ready.

My mind started to shut down and my eyes began to drift close. But my tears never stopped.

I just wanted Jacob back.

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Jacob's POV

I was pissed. So pissed that I just could barely stop myself from phasing in front of Naomi.

Naomi

Even as I thought about her, I became angry all over again. I can't believe that she didn't trust me, even after I trusted her with my deepest, darkest secret. Not even just me, but my pack brothers as well. I told her everything, and I still didn't even know her last name.

I pawed the dirt beneath me and kept my nose close to the ground. I was hurt. And once again, my heart was leading me by the tail.

Literally.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss Naomi already, my arms itching just to hold her and breathe in her intoxicating scent.

But I needed time.

I had fallen in love with her. I loved her. But she didn't trust me.

I whined. Fucking whined like a little girl. But being a wolf I couldn't do much else.

This shit was the worse. Every time things started to look good for me, something always came and kicked me in the ass.

Someone out there fucking hated me.

I felt some one phased then, but I couldn't read nor hear the person's thoughts, almost as if they were blocking them, trying not to let me see what they were thinking. Whatever the reason was, I wasn't in the fucking mood for the bullshit at the moment, especially if this person was Leah. I really couldn't take her smart ass mouth right now. I wasn't taking a chance. Just as I was beginning to phase back, the person finally let their thoughts be heard.

"_What's the deal bro"?_

I gave a mental sigh when I heard Embry's thoughts. I really don't think I could have dealt with anyone else.

"_I'm pretty sure you know by now"._

I felt Embry nod; he was getting closer to me now. But he was still blocking something.

"_Yeah I know, so what's the problem"?_

My head shot up, and I turned towards the direction where I could sense him coming from.

"_What the hell do you mean, what's the problem"?_

My anger started building back up. Was everyone blind to what the damn problem was? The bushes in front of me shook and a second later Embry's huge form appeared and even in our wolf form, I could tell he was giving me that look he always did when I was being an idiot.

Don't know why, I had good reason to be acting the way I was.

"_Stop looking at me like that"! _I snarled angrily and a growl actually escaped from my muzzle.

Embry wasn't even fazed.

"_You're being a dickhead Jake". _He said simply and I snapped.

I lunged at him, but Embry expected my outburst and stepped swiftly to the side, slamming his head into my side roughly and causing me to fly sideways. I hit a nearby tree with a loud crack and got back quickly to my feet. This moron was asking for it now.

"_I have a reason to act like a dickhead"! _I yelled at Embry, my fur prickling with anger. I prepared myself for another go at him and I saw Em get in a defensive stance.

"_And what fucking reason is that"? _He yelled back, his own anger beginning to surface now. _"That girl loves you Jake and your dumb ass is going to ruin that with your emotional ass PMS bullshit"._

All of a sudden Embry's thoughts bombarded my head with a vengeance. I saw everything that happened after I left. At first all I saw was Camille, what happened in the kitchen and the time they spent watching television. Then I saw her. I saw Naomi collapse in front of her house as Em held her as she cried. I heard through his thoughts as she told him everything. I watched as he carried Naomi to her room, laying her down gently on her bed. I heard her tell him to let me know that even through everything, she loved me.

Now I felt like a jack ass.

"_Dude, she loves the hell out of you, so what if she didn't tell you about who she was or better yet what she was, she never left after you told her what we were, she stayed Jake, which has to mean something"._

Embry turned his back towards me then, making his way back towards the direction he came in. I stayed where I was, my nose in the ground, my tail lowered. Em looked at me over his shoulder.

"_I know you're scared dude, especially after what happened with Bella, but don't fuck up the best thing that has happened with you since then" "I can see that she makes you happy Jake, and we all love seeing you as your old self, happy. Not that bitter, angry, empty shell you were before"._

Embry phased back right there and pulled back on his pants he had tied to his leg. He never turned around when he spoke.

"Man up Jake".

Then he was gone.

And I was left with my thoughts and the vividly clear ones that Embry left branded into my brain.

I couldn't get the look on Naomi's face or her words out of my head.

I didn't know what the hell I was going to do.

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A/N: Don't be too hard on Jacob; he is trying to deal with everything. He will get better. Hopefully: p. please review lovies!


	21. History

_**A/N: I have gone over 1500 hits! You guys are awesome! Glad everyone is enjoying the story thus far and I love writing for you guys. So with that…..here is chapter 21. Enjoy.**_

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*History*

_**Jacob's POV**_

I was a lost man.

It was like I was a walking zombie. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep and I remained in my wolf form for the majority of my day.

I missed the hell out of Naomi.

I wanted to go to her house, knock on her door, and sweep her up into my arms and never let her go.

But my pride was in the way. I couldn't lie and say that I wasn't still hurt about her lying to me and not trusting me, but I just wanted to hold her.

After that night I went straight to Sam and the elders, telling them that we possibly had another pack on our lands. I couldn't tell them anymore than that though because Naomi never really told me what tribe she was from.

That was the reason we were all here now, gathered in me and my dad's living room. My entire pack, the elders and Sam. I stood by the kitchen door, leaning against the doorframe. I really wasn't in the mood for any of this, but I had to play my part. No matter how much my ass wanted to be somewhere else.

"So as of late we have been informed that there could possibly be another pack on our land". My dad spoke up, indicating that the meeting had started. He now had everyone's attention.

"Old Quil and myself have found out more about their history". Dad spoke quietly and slowly, looking at each of us. Old Quil cleared his throat then, turning the attention towards him.

"These people are Apache Indians, which means "fighting men". "Their culture is well known for their impeccable skills in warfare strategy and exhaustible endurance, which makes them extremely good fighters". "Apache is derived from a Zuni word which means "enemy".

That last bit of information caused us all too visibly tense up. What does this mean for us?

"So what are they"? "Are they a threat"? I asked, my throat tightening at the thought that I had to possibly get rid of Naomi and her family. I hoped, _prayed _that it wouldn't need to get to that point.

My dad looked at me and slightly shook his head.

"From what I have seen, they are not". "But we don't know much about them, so we can't just assume".

Jared spoke then, his mouth full with once was a slice of pizza.

"So what are they exactly, because so far that's been left out".

My dad looked over at him and gave a deep sigh.

"They are like you all son, they take on the body and spirit of the wolf just as you. It runs through their bloodline just as it does through ours". "Their tribe had always told tales of warriors and protectors, the wolf was always the main character in those stories".

Jared choked and Paul gave him a hard hit on the back clearing his airways.

"Are you shitting me"? He wheezed. "They can shift"?

Dad gave him a subtle nod and Old Quil laughed.

"Nice choice of words son". "We are not the only tribe that has the blood of the wolf running strong through our blood; we have always known there could be others, but to co-exists within different tribes is something we couldn't have foreseen, this will be interesting, no doubt about that".

Jared continued shaking his head at Old Quil, as if his brain was having trouble processing the information. Couldn't say I blamed him though. I couldn't wrap my head around this shit yet either.

Sam leaned back in his chair, one hand rubbing his chin.

"So what do we do now"? Do we treat them as a threat"? "Or do we allow them a chance to explain what they are and where they come from"?

Dad and Old Quil exchanged a glance before my dad spoke.

"We will give them a chance; they haven't done anything thus far to raise any alarms, it would be best to keep everything civil for now".

I snorted and all eyes turned towards me. I didn't know what else there needed to be said, but I wanted this meeting to be over with.

"We will meet with them tomorrow night". I stated simply. "Myself, Leah, Sam and the elders will meet here around the same time; I will meet up with everyone else after to update them on the meeting".

Dad and Old Quil gave a nod of agreement and just like that our meeting was over. I couldn't be more ecstatic. All I wanted was to be left alone. I watched everyone leave before I tried to make my escape. But my dad stopped me.

"Jacob, wait".

I sighed. I wasn't in any mood to talk. But I would never ignore my dad.

"Yeah"?

My dad took his time answering me back and I knew he was waiting for the others to get out of ear shot before he started his conversation.

"Have you talked to her yet"?

I wanted to curse out loud, but I held my tongue. Not only did I not want to have a conversation with anyone at all, the last person I wanted to have said conversation about was Naomi.

"No dad I haven't, and I really don't know when I will".

Dad wheeled about the kitchen, doing his best trying to straighten up. I really didn't know why he bothered. I would always come back in from wherever I wandered off to and do it myself. He seemed to be thinking that same thing and stopped, turning to face me fully.

"Jake you need to stop being so stubborn, I'm tired of covering for you". "I like the girl and think you guys need to talk".

I groaned and leaned my head against the doorframe.

Naomi had been calling me for the last few days but I just wasn't ready to talk to her. It made my heart swell that she still even wanted anything to do with me after the way I treated her, and maybe that's what scared me.

I wanted to talk to her, I really did, but I just didn't know what to say. Yes, I Jacob Ephraim Black had no fucking clue about what to say to the girl I had fallen in love with. So instead of making myself look like a dick, I didn't say a word. This in turn made me act like a jackass towards her, which wasn't my intention at all.

I looked at my dad with what I was certain was a pained expression.

"I don't know what to do, she doesn't trust me dad that much is for certain". "How can you build something with a person who doesn't trust you"?

My dad wheeled his chair closer to me and gave me a pat on my arm.

"She has always wanted to tell you Jake, but she was afraid that would react just how you have".

Something in my brain clicked and I looked at my dad sharply. How the hell did he know this?

"What do you mean she always wanted to tell me"? "Did you know about this"?

Dad moved away then, sighing heavily as he made his way back towards our kitchen table.

"I knew her father very well when he was Chief of their tribe, he came to me a long time ago when their kids started phasing because he knew that we had experience with this. We got along well and thought it would be a good idea that we introduce our younger protectors with each other, those who could relate to each other".

Dad paused, looking directly at me then.

"But that didn't fair too well, both of our tribes are way too opinionated and stubborn, it eventually got so bad that we had to keep everyone apart". "Over time, each of our tribes grew to find their own beliefs and traditions about how best to handle our wolves and what power came with it, we began to disagree, which steamed many confrontations. "We had to separate or risk being exposed".

My dad stopped then and it was taking everything in me not to explode. Did everyone like to keep me in the fucking dark?

"If you knew, all this time what she was, why didn't you tell me"?

Dad shook his head.

"It was her decision to make Jacob".

I frowned and finally turned away from my Dad. I couldn't take this right now. I was going to explode.

"We will meet here Friday night at 8".

And that was the last thing I said before I threw open our kitchen door, stripping of my clothing and leaving them on our lawn. I phased before I had even reached the forest.

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Friday came too fucking fast. Any other time before, when I lived for my weekends, the other days seemed to drag on.

But not now.

It was like life was throwing me a big middle finger. I was dreading this. I hadn't seen Naomi in about a week and tonight would be the very first time we would be in such close vicinity with each other.

I couldn't even tell you how I was going to act.

I was already hurting from being away from her for so long, but I didn't want to make a fool of myself either. So tonight I would be in strictly Alpha role.

My dad, Old Quil, Sam and Leah were already here, talking amongst themselves quietly, eating some of the food Emily had prepared for our meeting. I sat on my bed in my room, my head in my hands.

_I could do this…..i could do this_

I willed my brain to believe this but my body was shaking with something else entirely.

Anticipation. Nerves. Need. Lust.

I knew it was getting close to eight o'clock, the start of our meeting because somehow I could feel her getting closer, could just make out her scent, the intoxicating vanilla and coconut fragrance I grew to love

Then I heard the kitchen door open and close and the room downstairs became silent. I could definitely sense that everyone was sizing up the other. Then my dad voice broke me from my moment.

"Jacob, can you come down here please"?

I stood to my feet and briefly glanced at my reflection in the mirror. Some of my hair had come loose from the ponytail I constantly kept it in but I didn't bother with it. I didn't want it to seem like I was trying too much, especially since for the last couple of days I hadn't given a shit nor cared to give a shit about how I looked.

_Well…here goes nothing._

I marched out my room and noisily made my way downstairs to our small kitchen, where everyone was stationed. I stepped through the archway and almost immediately I had to practice a great amount of effort to control myself.

There she stood. And as soon as I made myself visible, her eyes locked with mine, almost as if I was the only person she wanted to look for.

God. She was beautiful.

Naomi wore a cute little dark blue dress that complemented her dark skin perfectly and flowed almost elegantly around her knees. The sleeves were loose and the top hung off of one of her shoulders. I wanted to taste the skin there. Her legs were toned and smooth and my fingers twitched with the need to run my hand up and caress the lovely appendage.

Her hair was in its sexy wavy state and she had it have pulled back from her face. She wore tiny gold hoop earrings and an intensively detailed bracelet on her left wrist. I wanted all these people to leave right now at this very moment so I could have this sexy, irresistible goddess all to myself. I made up my mind right then and there, that I didn't give a damn that she hadn't told me what she was, it didn't matter now. All that matter to me, at that very moment, was that I had her back in my arms, all to myself.

When my eyes finally (and I mean after another minute or so of me undressing her with my eyes) met hers, she had a pink blush on her dark cheeks and she was biting her bottom lip. I inwardly groaned and told the feral wolf inside me to calm the fuck down. We had business to take care of first, but after that it was going to be all she wrote.

I cleared my throat and forced my brain to focus.

"Let's get started".

This was going to be a long night. I hoped I had enough self-control to last through it all.

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A/N: Please review lovies…thanks for reading.


	22. Progress

_**A/N: Here is chapter 22. Hope you enjoy it. So sorry for the wait, I haven't been too motivated and it took a lot to write this chapter, too many things going on at once. But I am back and I am all ready with more chapters. Hope you enjoy and hope you like the different POV.**_

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*Progress*

_**Aaron's POV**_

I knew Naomi was mad at me, in fact I was pretty damn sure about it considering that she hadn't spoken more than three words to me in the last couple days. I felt bad, I really did. I never wanted to hurt my sister like how she was hurting now, but I needed her to know what she was dealing with. Their kind never did get along with us and it was only a matter of time after he found out what she was, before he decided to leave.

The way he left my little sister just made me hate them that much more.

My dad had always tried to get me to understand why the Quileute's acted the way they did all those years ago, but I wasn't stupid. I knew that they had been intimidated by us; they weren't the only big boys on campus anymore. Once our tribe got separated and branched out before my dad died he wanted to me reach out to one of their elders, Billy I think his name was, and make amends, but I never did. It is something I am continuously regretting. I never did the last thing my father asked me to do. That day I took Naomi to the car shop, I would have never expected to run into them, nor would have known that my baby sister knew their Alpha, and from the looks of it, wanted to know him very well.

It had pissed me off.

She wasn't stupid, I'm sure she knew exactly what Jacob was the first moment they had met and yet she still wanted to continue whatever it was they had going.

We didn't have a lot of people left from our tribe, most were scattered around the country, and me and my baby sis were the last two that carried our wolf gene. We had to protect what was ours. I had to protect what was mine. I wasn't going to let Naomi get involved with them.

I forbid her to see him ever again.

I had actually thought for a split second that she had listened to me. But then that's when I began to notice she had changed.

Naomi had stopped phasing. At one time she was in her wolf form almost more than I was, always in a constant need to prove to me that she was a great warrior. I knew this already of course, but it gave me a sense of pride to know that our heritage meant that much to her.

She also came home every night smelling different. I couldn't pinpoint it because she had always taken a shower before I came home, so it was never that outright. But I was always a little bit off.

However i found out just what was going on one night I decided to turn in early.

I walked in to the lingering smells of what was left from dinner and my mouth instantly began to water. I knew Mom had long since left for work, so as I rounded the corner to our small living room, I was expecting to find my sisters, instead of the threat that was sitting casually on our couch.

I wanted to take his head off right then and there, and then follow that off with violently shaking my sister until sense was knocked back into her head.

Camille looked at me like I had two heads, before quietly introducing me to the guy in front of me as Embry.

Oh, I knew who and more importantly what he was.

Embry smiled at me and shook my hand, and I think I held onto it a little too tightly, but let go quickly before he registered it, which I'm pretty sure he did. He showed no animosity towards me, and I knew that he still did not know what I was. I relaxed a bit. Camille stared at me with questioning eyes and I gave her a soft smile, reassuring her. I couldn't blame her either. Because she didn't carry the gene like Naomi and me, she didn't know a lot of things, and even though she knew what we did and was capable of, we tried to keep her in the dark as much as possible. I had asked her then where Naomi was, and what she told me then made my blood boil.

She was with their Alpha, all alone.

As quickly as I could and without rising any kind of suspicion from Camille, I excused myself and set off to look for my baby sis.

When I found her, I couldn't believe what I saw.

The two of them were so wrapped around each other I had a hard time telling whose body part was whose. I was shaking violently then as I heard the intimate little moans and smelled the arousal coming from my baby sister. I couldn't focus and all I saw was red. It was like my huge body had a mind of its one when I allowed myself to be seen by them as they made their way back to our house.

Naomi looked at me with a mixture of fear and anger as Jacob tried to keep me away from her. I laughed inside my head. I could tear his head off before he would even register what was happening.

I wanted to fight him and I made it known as I growled loudly in his direction, knowing that his wolf instincts were calling to him to challenge me. It would only be a matter of time, and then I would tear him a new one.

But nothing happened.

Naomi stepped between us, her eyes locked with mine, shimmering with unshed tears. She looked at me with hatred, something I never had to feel coming from my sister, but it was something I would have to deal with for the time being. She needed to know what kind of people she was dealing with. I turned around after she told me to leave and never looked back. Naomi would learn why our kind stayed within our own. It would hurt, but it would be a lesson learned.

I didn't make it back into the house until late that night, everyone already asleep. I was starving and headed straight for the kitchen, but there was someone already waiting for me.

Camille stared at me hard. But because I was so use to it, I paid it no mind. I simply walked passed her and to the fridge, opening it up and grabbing the left overs. I heard her laugh softly and that made me look at her in confusion.

"Can you be any more of an asshole Aaron"? She asked and I gave a very uninterested shrug, stuffing a handful of lunch meat into my mouth.

"I have no idea what you're talking about".

Camille snorted and I heard her jump off the kitchen counter, before she stood in front of me.

"Our baby sister is hurting jerk off and it's because of you".

I looked down at her, my tall frame swallowing her smaller one but Camille never backed off, as if she ever did.

"I did what I thought was right, it was for her own protection".

I turned away then, attempting to resume my task at raiding the fridge, but my domineering older sibling was having none of it.

Camille slammed the refrigerator door shut and stood in front of it, her arms crossed and her eyes blazing.

I sighed.

I could have easily moved my sister out the way without batting an eye, but I wasn't a fool and above everything I respected the women in my life with a passion.

"She loves him Aaron". Camille said quietly. "And he loves her, somehow they complement each other, and it makes them happy". "Don't you want your baby sister to be happy, after everything we have been through"?

Of course I wanted Naomi to be happy, but I didn't want her getting hurt in the process. In my head I had done only what i thought would benefit her in the long run.

"She doesn't need to associate herself with them Camille, it's not good".

Camille looked away from me for a brief second, and when she turned back I could have sworn she was blushing. Where the hell did that come from?

"How do you know it's so bad hanging around them, they aren't all that terrible".

I laughed, a little bit too loudly then I should have.

"Just trust me; you don't want to associate yourself with them".

Camille changed her approached then and became her angry, bitchy self once again. She stepped closer to me and poked a finger into my chest.

"I don't care what you do, or how you do it mister, but you will fix this". She said her voice dropping so low that I even I had a hard time hearing what she was saying.

Camille poked me hard once more and shoved passed me, making her way out the kitchen. She stopped just before the door and turned around slightly to look at me.

"This is the happiest I have seen Naomi since Dad has been alive, and I will not let anybody get in the way of that, not even you Aaron". "I love you to death, but I will become your worst nightmare, so if you want to avoid that happening, I suggest you take your ego out your ass and fix this shit pronto".

And then, my charming older sis left.

I smiled, even if she had just threatened my life. That's just the way she was, extremely overprotective over us, especially our baby sister. Couldn't blame her though, because I felt the same way. Naomi was special and important not only for us, but also for our people. Ever since she was born, she was looked at as somewhat of a miracle and a gift. She was so small and tiny when she was born, that the healers told our parents that she wouldn't make it. But the spirits felt that she needed to stay here and they helped her through her journey, and also blessed her with the gene to take on the spirit and body of our wolf, something only our males were known to have.

She was beyond special, and the pride and joy of our entire family.

I sighed and rubbed my throbbing temples. As much as I couldn't stomach the thought of even being in the same room with these people, I was going to reach out and finally do what my father had asked of me before he died.

I called Billy the next morning and I told him I was ready to sit down and meet with them. I knew Billy had been waiting for my call now ever since we moved here, but I always pushed it to the side. Now I was going against everything I believed in. But I wasn't doing it for them; I wasn't even doing it for myself.

I was doing it for Naomi, because I loved her, and Camille had been completely right when she said our baby sis had been her happiest when she was with Jacob, a blind person would have been able to tell that.

When I told Naomi that we were going to meet the Quileute's, she couldn't even hold in her happiness and the huge smile I was so used to seeing on her face that had been absent for the last few days, returned and she hugged me tightly and I hugged her back, pleased that I could make her happy again.

And now here we stood, in the kitchen of the rivals.

I took deep calming breaths, the heat softly radiating up my spine. There were several pairs of eyes on us now and my wolf was pleading with me to let him come out and play. But I kept him away, at least until this whole tea party was done and over with. Naomi remained silent next to me but I could hear her heartbeat pick up and her breathing was coming a little faster. I squeezed her hand softly and I physically felt her calm down.

Billy came over to us with a kind smile on his face and a hand reached out in my direction.

"Aaron, I am very pleased to finally meet you".

I cleared my throat and bit back down the remark that I wanted to say. It wasn't the time right now. I placed my hand in his and we shook hands.

"You too sir, I'm sorry I haven't come to you sooner".

Billy let out a laugh and I smiled, unable to continue to feel hostile in his presence.

"It's quite alright son, I understand why you had your doubts, but hopefully we can settle some of those tonight".

His eyes turned towards Naomi then and also gave her that same kind smile.

"My dear, how are you"?

Naomi moved closer to me and her hand gave mine a little involuntary squeeze.

"I'm ok". She said quietly

Billy nodded and clapped his hands together.

"Well, let's get this started shall we"? "I'll call my son".

He turned away and wheeled himself out the small kitchen and into the living room. I heard him yell for his son before he wheeled himself back. A couple seconds passed before we heard a whole hell of a lot of noise and heavy footsteps bounded down the steps before Jacob appeared in the doorway.

Naomi stiffened beside me and took in a sharp breath. I gave her hand a squeeze just to know I was here for her. My eyes were locked on Jacob. We were both the same height and almost the same size. Jacob had a tad bit more muscle but I knew that was how their wolf affected them. Our wolf made us leaner, which made us faster.

Jacob's eyes were trained in our direction, but I knew he wasn't looking at me. The intensity of which he was looking at my baby sis unnerved me, but anyone could see that he looked at her as if she was the only woman he ever wanted to see.

As a man I could understand and relate to that, but as an older brother I didn't have to like it.

This was going to be one hell of a night.

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A/N: Once again I apologize for the long wait. Please review. It will keep my motivation high


	23. Love

_**A/N: I'm trying to update more often now that I crossed my moment of "non-motivational" tendencies. Hope everyone is still enjoying the story…still have a lot in store. **_

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*Love*

_**Naomi's POV**_

Holy freaking hell! Could this man get anymore breathtaking?

I felt like I was drooling and I prayed to the spirits that I really wasn't. I wanted to tear Jacob apart, in a very good, slightly un-lady like way.

What was wrong with me?

I was fighting with my entire body right now, trying to stop myself from jumping on him and tearing the clothes from that gorgeous body of his. I had to get it together.

The way Jacob's eyes stared into mine made me squirm, but I held his gaze, hoping by some chance he could see how much I've missed him. I thought, for a split second, that he gave me a small smile, but when I blinked, Jake's face became hard again and his eyes left mine and locked with my brother's.

My heart sunk.

I wanted, _needed _my Jacob back.

Whoa…..my Jacob? Where did that come from?

Fuck it.

He was all mines, and there wasn't a person on this earth that could tell me any different. I was setting claim to this main and didn't give a damn about any bad blood that still may have exists between our tribe or that he was still mad at me. Tonight he was going to forgive me, whether he knew it or not.

I couldn't keep the smirk off my face as this single thought planted into my head.

We moved at the same time and took our seats at the small table. I held onto my brother's hand underneath the table, hoping to continue to pull the strength from him that I needed to make it through this night. Jacob sat across from us, after Leah stood from her seat and gave it to him, I guess preferring to stand instead. Jake gave her a small smile and I felt my blood boil. I couldn't help it. That's just the way I felt. Extremely overprotective and possessive.

We remained quiet for a split second before Billy spoke.

"Once again I want to welcome you two, and hopefully we can all come to a common ground with each other tonight".

Aaron nodded, but I remained silent. I couldn't form any words or sounds around the lump that formed in my throat. Jacob was staring at me so hard that it made me not want to utter a sound. I wanted to know what was going through his head.

Jake cleared his throat and tore his eyes from my face and I was able to take a deep breathe. I really didn't know how much longer I could keep this up.

"Tell us about yourself, what are you capable of doing"? Jake asked, his question directed towards my brother.

I felt Aaron tense a bit and I gave his hand a squeeze. This was already hard for him and I really appreciated his effort, but like me, it was only so much he could handle at one time.

"Well I'm sure you all have heard a bit about what we are from Billy". Aaron nodded in Billy's direction before he continued. "And everything you were told his true".

Aaron turned to look at me and gave me a soft smile that I returned.

"Our ancestors blessed us with the blood and spirit of the wolf". "The wolf is what we are and who we are". "We can shift and change just as you, but we are not you".

Jake raised an eyebrow at Aaron.

"If you can shift just as we can, how does that make you different".

Aaron laughed softly, shaking his head.

"Just because we change into the same animal, does not make us the same". "Your bodies adapt different to your wolf than ours, while we both stand at incredible heights, your wolf makes your bodies obtain and carry more muscle, which in part makes you stronger". "Our wolf makes our bodies strong, but more lean, which makes us faster".

Leah snorted loudly, and Aaron looked in her direction.

"So you say". She said quietly

Aaron gave her a smile and a short laugh.

"Guess I just have to prove it one day".

Leah folded her arms across her chest and leaned back into her chair, and for a moment I thought her lips were turned up in a smile, but when her eyes locked with mine, all I saw was that familiar ugly scowl.

An older guy, sitting next to Billy, I believed this was Old Quil leaned forward, his eyes directly trained on me.

"What about your sister young warrior, does she also carry the spirit of the wolf through her veins"?

Aaron turned towards me and gave me a soft kiss of the head. I smiled at him.

"My sister is very special". He said quietly. "She is our first female to carry our gene in centuries ". "She almost didn't make it as an infant, but the spirits saw fit to save her and bless her with our people's warrior spirit and blood". "She carries her spirit wolf strong, and will one day replace me as protector of our family".

My heart swelled at the words my brother was saying. I always wanted to be able to be strong enough to protect my family, but I never thought I could be. But having Aaron say what he did out loud made me realize that he always knew that I could be just as good of a warrior as he was. I squeezed his hand again underneath the table and he squeezed back.

Sam stood by the back door that I hadn't really noticed before, cleared his throat and I turned in his direction. He gave me a brief smile before he spoke.

"So should we have anything to worry about from your kind"?

Aaron frowned and I did too. He made it seem like we were savages or something. Jacob laughed and I looked at him. He gave me a smirk and my heart fluttered.

"Don't mind Sam, he doesn't mean any harm, kind of forgets how to speak to folks sometimes".

Aaron nodded in Jacob's direction but not before he finished staring Sam down.

"We mean you no harm, we just ask to be left in peace and we will do the same for you".

I chanced a look at Jacob and again he was staring right at me, his face no longer hard and unmoving. The tightening in my chest came back and I couldn't breathe again. Why did he always do this to me?

"Well son, all we want is to coexist". Billy said then. "And hopefully together we can begin to help each other do just that".

Aaron gave him another nod and I couldn't sit much longer. I leaned forward towards my brother's ear and quietly whispered to him that I needed to leave in our native tongue. He gave me a smile and I slowly stood from my seat.

"Excuse me". I said quietly and made my way passed the table and out the door, the whole time feeling Jake's eyes on my back.

When the crisp cool night air hit my face, it relaxed me and the tightness in my chest began to subside. I wanted to talk to Jake but I didn't know what to say, or even how to begin. But I knew I couldn't sit there and continue to take his intense gaze. It was like he was looking straight into my soul and it made me nervous. I heard the low rumble of the men's voices but I didn't care enough to really listen. Maybe this was too much, all too soon. I missed Jacob terribly, but I couldn't take being rejected again. The legs of the chairs scrapped loudly against the floor and the voices came closer as they began one by one to make their out the door.

I moved from the front steps and stood over to the side, leaning a bit on the porch railing. Leah came out first and she looked at me briefly before she went down the stairs without a word, making her way towards the trees. Sam came next and he turned to me and gave me a small nod.

"I'm sorry if I offended you in there, I really meant no harm". He said and I laughed.

"It's ok Sam; I knew you didn't mean it in any kind of way".

Sam smiled and reached forward a bit, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Forgive that idiot in there for being so stubborn, he misses you".

He gave me one more smile before he too went down the steps and made his way over to a waiting black truck.

I was left speechless for a minute. My brain was going over what Sam just told me and I was halfway hoping what he said was true. I hoped Jacob had missed me as much as I missed him, but then again if he did, he wouldn't have been avoiding my phone calls like he had.

Old Quil, Billy, Aaron and Jacob came out next. Old Quil shook my brother's hand and gave me a small nod before he quietly went down the steps and got into the passenger side of the black truck Sam was in, the engine started and within a few minutes they were gone.

Billy wheeled himself in front of me then, his trademark kind smile on his face.

"I hope this can be the beginning of something great between our people". "We have much we can learn from each other".

I leaned down and gave Billy a hug.

"Your father would be very proud of you two". He said quietly, giving me a gentle squeeze.

I smiled as I pulled away. Billy was right. My dad would be very proud of what we had accomplished tonight.

Billy wheeled himself towards Aaron and the two shook hands, speaking to each other in soft whispers,

I wasn't paying attention once again. My eyes had moved to where Jacob was standing. He was leaning casually beside the kitchen door, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets, his eyes locked on mine. Why did he keep staring at me like that?

Billy bid us all a goodnight and it was just the three of us. Aaron looked between Jacob and laughed. He moved towards me and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Take your time little one and I'll see you when you get in".

Aaron nodded in Jake's direction and jogged down the stairs and out of sight.

We were alone now. And it scared the shit out of me.

I turned my back towards Jacob and looked out into their front lawn, trying desperately to still my frantically beating heart. I swallowed.

"I've called you". I said quietly, beginning to feel my emotions getting the best of me.

"I know". Jacob said his voice low and deep.

I sighed and refused to turn around.

"I guess I deserved to be ignored".

My throat got tight again and the words got stuck. The strangled sob escaped my mouth before I could stop it. It hurt me to know that he knew I had tried to contact him and yet he still didn't try to get back in touch with me. Maybe he really didn't want anything to do with me after all.

I took a shuddering breathe and turned to face him. If he didn't want anything to do with me then there wasn't a reason to stay around. I avoided Jake's eyes as I spoke.

"I just want to tell you again Jake that I'm sorry and….."

Whatever else I was going to say was cut completely short. Jacob had taken three huge steps towards me and scooped me up in his arms, burying his face in my neck, breathing deeply. I was taken off guard for just a second before my arms snaked around his shoulders, holding him tightly.

"God, I've missed the fuck out of you honey". Jake said, his lips placing soft fleeting kisses on my neck.

I laughed at his language but never let him go.

"I missed you too, more than you can know".

Jacob pulled back a bit, our faces inches apart. He his eyes searched my face and his hand came up to the side of my head, caressing my cheek softly. I closed my eyes briefly from his touch before I opened them again.

"Jake". I started, quietly. "I'm so sor….".

My words were stopped as Jacob's soft lips crashed into mine with so much intensity that I lost my balance. His hands came to the small of back, pushing me against him and I completely gave in to him. My hands gripped the back of his neck and he growled into my mouth. I couldn't get enough of him and I didn't want to stop. But when the need to breathe became too strong, we pulled apart and I laid my head on Jake's chest, breathing in his scent, the scent I missed for so long. I felt Jacob's chin on the top of my head, his arms wrapped around me so tightly that I could barely get air into my lungs, but I didn't care. As long as I was in his arms again was all that mattered to me. I could stay just like this forever.

"Can we start over again, from the beginning Jake"? I asked quietly, and I felt his chest rumble with soft laughter.

I lifted my head up from his chest and looked up at him. Jake gave me a smile and pushed some hair out of my face.

"I would like that sweetheart"

He bent down and gave me a soft kiss before pulling me back into his arms. I sighed contently. I couldn't tell you how long I was waiting for this, but i was going to cherish it. Because tonight I had finally gotten what I have been wanting for the past couple of days.

I had my Jacob back.

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_**A/N: You guys should be soooooo proud of me. Two chapters in two days! Yay for me! Hope you guys have enjoyed it and hope you're happy our couple has gotten back together. But there is still one more obstacle they have to face and**_ _**it could make or break them. Stay tuned. Please Review! *Smooches***_


	24. The Past

_**A/N: Helllllloooooooo Good people. Here is chapter 24! Hope you enjoy.**_

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*The Past*

_**Jacob's POV**_

I phased as soon as Naomi left. I was meeting the rest of my pack brothers to go over what happened at our meeting. I had to make sure that I cleared my head and blocked my thoughts before I got to them though. My mind was completely filled with the bronzed beauty I had just left and all the different kinds of things I wanted to do to thus said beauty.

I laughed.

There was still so much we needed to talk about, but I couldn't help the way my body reacted every time I got near her. It was almost like my wolf could feel and sense what she was and it awakened something in me, sometimes the pull was so powerful I had a hard time getting it under control. I felt my pack brothers beginning to shift one by one, and I locked my thoughts up abruptly. Some things just didn't need to be shared, especially with perverted ass werewolves.

"_So what the hell was so important that I had to be woken up after I just went to sleep"?_

I laughed. I could always find some kind of content satisfaction in annoying Paul.

"_Glad I amuse you so much"._

I barked out another laughed. Yup, extreme satisfaction.

"_Aww man Paul, stops crying, I'm sure you can always go back to whatever freaky things you were doing". _Jared replied, his own thoughts beginning to drift towards the things him and his imprint, Kim, were doing just moments before.

"_Whoa dude, never knew Kim had it in her, she looks so innocent". _Quil stated, his own mind beginning to picture things that even I didn't want to ever see or hear again.

"_Watch it, or I'm going to rip out your throat". _Jared snarled and Quil quickly cleared his head and began thinking about what dress he wanted to buy for Claire.

"_It's not my fault, you thought it first". _Quil pouted and I laughed.

"_You guys seriously need to learn how to control your thoughts". _I stated, laughing so hard now that I almost ran into a tree.

"_You mean like you Jake, what are trying to hide that you have to concentrate so hard to block your thoughts from us". _Embry interrupted and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

That cut my laughter short and the only thing I thought about was getting to the meeting.

It didn't take long for me to reach the clearing I had picked out for our impromptu get together. I arrived first, quickly followed by Leah, who was very quiet and hadn't said a word, even after I had felt her phase.

That was pretty unusual. But I wasn't going to push it now.

Embry came next, followed then by Paul, Jared and Quil. I told Seth, Brady and Collin to sleep in, they had just came off of patrol an hour before and either one of us could let them in on this after they got some rest. I always wanted everyone to be on the same page at the same time, but I understood what our limits were and I knew when not to push it. My guys needed their rest, and I wasn't going to be the one who denied them that pleasure. Once everyone was situated and seated, minus the little squabble that broke out between Paul and Leah, because he had accidently stepped on her tail, I began.

"_As you all know, we discovered that there are another family of shape shifters close to our lands". "Myself, Leah, Sam and the elders met with them tonight, to determine what having them in such a close proximity means for us"._

My thoughts came forward then and I replayed the meeting for them, letting them hear and see everything that was spoken and that was told, stopping just short before me and Naomi had our moment. It was quiet for a moment before I was met by a ton of thoughts all at once.

"_So you guys believed them"? _Paul snarled. "_They can both be playing us for fools, just waiting for us to let our guards down"._

Before I could respond, Jared jumped in then, surprising me (but not really) by siding with Paul.

"_I agree, I mean I liked Naomi too when we first met, but that was before this whole finding-out-she-is-a-werewolf-thing, we have never dealt with this before, and I don't think we should just treat it like it's nothing"._

I gave a mental nod, but remained silent. I knew that there were going to be doubts and a whole bunch of questions. I wanted them all to be put out here in the open so that there couldn't be any misunderstandings.

Embry's thoughts and images clouded my head for a second then and it quieted down the others, images of Camille swirling through his mind, and the question of if she was like her brother and sister. Because of our joined mind and thoughts, everyone knew he had imprinted on Camille, so as his silent question passed through our heads, no one judged him for it, understanding. I eased his doubts and concerns.

"_No Em, she is not like her sister and brother, the wolf only runs through those two"._

Embry gave me a mental nod, but he was still feeling a bit uneasy.

"_Does she know what I am"? _He asked quietly and again I understood his concerns.

"_No dude, she doesn't. The decision to tell her what you are is still completely left up to you"._

I physically felt Embry relax, all his concerns and worries falling away from him in thick waves, and because he was wound up so tight so were the rest of us, and you can see everyone relax after Embry did.

"_Are they dangerous"? _Embry asked, once his initial worries were addressed. _"Should there be anything we need to be concerned about"?_

The whole circle became eerily silent then, as if this was the exact question everyone wanted to ask, just that Embry had beaten them to it.

I sighed. My pack had a mind and opinions of their own and I never once forced them into a decision because it was something I wanted. I wanted them to have their own opinions and their own ideas, and no matter how much that became extremely annoying and infuriating; I wanted them to have that freedom.

"_From what we were told and have seen, they are not a problem. They just ask to be left in peace and they will do the same for us. Their wolf is similar to ours, except that their wolf gives them a leaner frame, which makes them faster. We would definitely lose to them in a foot race"._

I felt a collectively type of relief flow through the circle. I saw Quil slightly push Leah in her side with his head.

"_Got a run for your money huh Leah"?_

Leah shoved him back but didn't reply. I cocked a head to the side. I had to figure out what was up with her. I was use to her having her occasional bits of quietness, but because I knew how much her pack brothers annoyed the shit out of her, when she was around them, the quiet was only short lived. Tonight though, it was being carried out a little bit longer than what I was use too.

"_I know you guys have your concerns and it's perfectly fine that you are going to be a little bit weary, but they asked for peace and I think it would be fair to give them that considering that we haven't had any incidents. Who knows, it might be helpful to have them so close"._

Paul snorted and dug into the dirt with his paw.

"_We can handle whatever comes our way, we don't need the help"._

I sighed and flung some dirt in his direction, which hit him in the face and he turned and growled at me. I barked out a laugh.

"_Never said that we did, but it doesn't hurt to have that option"._

Jared stood to all fours and gave a large yawn and a stretch.

"_Well, I don't particularly like that we have some quote on quote competition on our lands, but I do believe that they don't mean any harm, especially since we already met one"._

He turned towards me and gave a jerk of his head over his shoulder.

"_If you don't mind, if there is nothing else, I would like to get back to Kim"._

I nodded.

"_Yeah, that's it; you guys are free to go"._

One by one, they all began to leave, each one having brief, fleeting but very detailed thoughts about what they all planned to do. Little by little, the thoughts disappeared as each person phased back until it was just Leah and myself left. I sat beside her and pushed her in her side with my head. She snapped at my ear, but it was playful. I was the only one she let see this side of her, the playful and somewhat cheerful side.

"_What's up with you tonight"?_

Leah sighed but remained silent and I pushed her again. Then, her thoughts came at me quickly before she could control them and I understood.

"_Oh, I see, you know you don't have to torture yourself about it"._

Leah gave me a push back before she stood to all fours. She made her way back towards home, but not before she looked at me briefly over her shoulder.

"_When you go see Naomi, can I come with you"?_

I smiled but gave her a nod.

"_Sure thing princess"._

Leah snorted but didn't respond; instead she just pushed her way back through the trees, making her way back towards her home.

I shook my head and in one motion phased back, now standing on two legs instead of four. I pulled on my shorts and walked slowly back to my house, turning in a little bit earlier than usual because I had plans the next day.

* * *

The next day, I spent my entire time working in the shop, especially on one car in particular. Quil and Embry were there the majority of the day themselves, each of us catching up on things we had neglected. But I stayed the longest. It was almost twelve o'clock at night and I had just got finished with what I was doing. I needed it to be prefect.

After I briefly cleaned myself off and threw on a clean shirt, I was just pulling the cover over my surprise when I heard the door to the bay open.

I turned around and smiled. There she was.

Naomi gave me a shy smile as she made her way over to me. I had to take a deep breath as I took her all in. Her hair was straight again, and it fell in soft waves down her back. She had on a dark purple sweater that hugged every possible curve this woman possessed.

I swallowed. _Easy Jakey boy. _

She had on dark denim jeans that hugged those delicious hips and that gorgeous behind.

_GOD!_

It was going to take a whole hell of a lot of effort to not listen to and answer my wolf.

Naomi made her way over to me finally and I wasted no time wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close. I heard her give a soft little sigh and felt her fingers caress the back of my neck gently. She did it every time I held her close, but I doubt she realized just how much it drove me insane.

"I've missed you". Naomi said softly in my ear and I nearly fucking lost it right then.

I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, pulling back just a bit so I could look in her face.

"I've missed you too honey".

Naomi gave me a blinding smile that made my heart swell. I couldn't focus around this woman.

"So what did you want to see me about so late at night sir"?

I smiled and took her hand in mine, moving her so that her back was now against my chest.

"I have a surprise for you".

Naomi looked at me over her shoulder, a delicate eyebrow raised in question.

"What is it"? She asked and I rolled my eyes.

"If I tell you that, it won't be much of a surprise, close your eyes".

Naomi looked at me for a brief second before her eyes closed. I moved to stand in front of her, waving my hand a couple times to make sure she wasn't peeking. I walked over to the large tarp in the middle of the floor and pulled.

"Okay sweetheart, open your eyes".

Naomi opened her eyes slowly and when she saw what was standing right in front of her, she gasped and a hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh my God Jacob, it's beautiful".

I had spent all day working on the finishing touches to her car and had just put everything together just a few hours ago. The paint, the interior as well as the engine had all been restored. Took me about a few weeks to get everything done, but I stayed working late into the night to get it done.

Naomi slowly moved forward, her fingers running over the fresh paint job. I cleared my throat, suddenly extremely nervous by her lack of vocals.

"I hope you liked the color, in the daytime it looks like a dark navy blue, but at night it looks midnight".

Naomi stopped when she reached the front of the car and she lifted her eyes to my own, hers shimmering with unshed tears.

"This means everything to me". She said quietly and I gave her a smile.

"Glad I could help beautiful".

Naomi took another look at her car before she looked at me again. Her eyes, which were just filled with tears, were now filled with a fire that made my wolf howl.

Then without warning, without even a thought, she rushed towards me and before I could process one fucking thing, her lips met mine. Her body pressed against me so hard that I fell backwards and landed on one of my cars. Naomi fell with me, her lips never leaving my own. Once my brain began to process exactly what was happening, I began to focus on her and just what she was doing. She began nibbling on my bottom lip and I let her in and our tongues danced. She tasted so damn sweet it was addicting and I didn't think I would ever get enough. I wrapped an arm around her waist and tried to push her closer to me. Naomi broke away, only to begin placing soft, gentle kisses down my neck.

"I love you, I love you, I love you". She said over and over and I stopped.

I stilled her movements by grabbing her arms in my hands and pushing her up a little bit but not enough so she still would be connected with me. I looked at her, her eyes glazed and shiny from unshed tears and lust. I brushed her hair back with both hands so that nothing obscured my view of her. I ran a thumb down her cheek and smiled as she leaned into my touch.

"I love you". I said quietly and she gave me one of my favorite blinding smiles. She laid down on my chest and I felt our hearts began to beat in sync.

So this is what love felt like.

To love and care about someone and to feel the same in return. I smiled and hugged her closer. I wished she was my imprint, and then everything would be freaking prefect.

* * *

We stayed just how we were for the next few hours, a few of those hours being occupied with a hell of a lot of touching and kissing, but I loved every damn minute of it.

Today, I sat on First Beach, watching the waves and listening to the ocean. I was meeting Naomi here so that we could finally have the talk we had been putting off for so long. I wanted to know who she was inside and out, the good and the bad. Although, it really didn't matter to me if she told me that she took care of a bunch of elves in a cave in the back of her home, nothing was going to change the way I saw this woman or how I felt about her. I could finally breathe again and for the first time in about two years, my heart was completely focused on someone else. I didn't have one negative thought that crossed my mind and the only thing I had found myself thinking about lately was Naomi. If she didn't know it yet, she was going too. Even without the imprint, I felt like she was my whole world. I couldn't stop the smile that graced my face. I couldn't help it. Nowadays, this girl had me smiling like an idiot. And it felt fucking great.

I heard footsteps behind and if possible my grin spread wider. Naomi was early, but she was here. And to me that's all I cared about. But when the voice spoke to me, it wasn't hers.

"Hey Jake".

My heart skipped and began beating erratically in my chest.

_What the hell?_

This couldn't be happening right now, not when everything was going so right.

I turned around slowly and looked at the one person I never thought I would see again.

"Bella"?

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A/N: HEHEHEHEHEHE don't hurt me too bad! I told you they had one more obstacle to face. Now we get to see if Jake's feeling are really gone or were they just suppressed? And what was going on with Leah? Please Review. Let me know what you all are thinking. Hopefully next chapter will be coming this week. *Smooches*


	25. The Present

_**A/N: Hello my lovies. Left with a little bit of a surprise from last chapter for our favorite werewolf. How will Mr. Black handle this situation? Onward to Chapter 25…enjoy!**_

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*The Present*

_**Jacob's POV.**_

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, I couldn't even think straight.

The girl who I had loved since I was thirteen was now all of a sudden standing right in front of me. Someone who I thought I would never, ever see again. Someone who I thought had long since become my mortal natural enemy.

What the fuck was going on?

It took me a minute to get myself together and I finally took her in.

Bella looked exactly how I remembered her, just a little bit older. Her hair had grown longer and was the same chocolate color, with a few red highlights splattered here and there. She had a shy smile on her lips and her cheeks were tinted a soft pink color. She was blushing, which was typical Bella. But the one thing that stood out to me more than anything was the steady rhythm that was between her rib cage.

She still had a heartbeat. I honestly think that pleased me more than actually seeing Bella herself.

I cleared my throat; rather obnoxiously and finally spoke to her.

"What are you doing here Bella"?

My tone must have surprised her because she flinched, and I found that I wasn't even the least bit concerned. I didn't want to sound like a dick, but this girl had literally taken my heart and forcefully ripped it out my chest and did the river dance on it. _TWICE! _So excuse me if I wasn't the nicest person right now.

Bella looked at the ground for a split second before her eyes met mine again.

"I wanted to see you". She said quietly.

I had to practice a lot of control not to laugh right in her face.

Was she really fucking serious right now? After two whole fucking years, she just now all of a sudden decided out the damn blue that she wanted to see? This could not be happening right now.

I stood up quickly, dusting off my pants. I turned my back on her as I looked out into the ocean, trying to gather my wondering thoughts.

"Well I'm here, still breathing and kicking". "Anything else"?

I really hated acting like an asshole, but I couldn't help the way I was feeling. I didn't really know how to deal with her right now.

I heard Bella take a few hesitant steps towards me and I could picture her in my head reaching for me.

"Jake, I'm so sor…".

I turned around sharply, cutting her off. I really didn't need this. I had worked to damn hard to forget the past and I didn't need her bringing it back up.

"Bella don't".

She stopped mid-sentence and bit her bottom lip, and for one fleeting moment I was reminded of Naomi. Where the hell was she anyway?

"I know you're angry with me but I just wanted to see you before…".

I literally looked at her like she had three heads.

"Before what Bella"? "Before you went off and joined the Land of the Dead and lived happily ever after". "I guess I should be happy you even thought about me at all".

I felt the white hot anger slowly creep up my spine and I took deep breaths to calm myself. I again turned my back on her and closed my eyes, concentrating hard as shit not to lose it.

Bella sniffed a bit behind me but I refused to turn around. I would not be pulled in by her. Not now.

"That hurt Jake; you know I care about you". She said softly and this time I couldn't help myself, I laughed out loud.

"You have a great way of showing it Bells".

I heard her breath hike just a bit and her footsteps became a little bit closer until she was standing beside me.

"You called me Bells".

I continued to look out into the ocean and still refused to look at her.

"Just because you forgot about our friendship didn't mean I did".

Bella sighed and placed a cool had on my arm that I didn't shrug off. I felt her give a tug, trying to get me to turns towards her. When I refused, she finally gave up and stood directly in front of me, but my eyes remained trained over her head.

Bella reached for my chin and forced me to look at her, and just because I didn't need her breaking her fingers or anything I allowed her too, now staring directly into those chocolate orbs I had once loved.

"You will always be my best friend Jacob, and I couldn't leave without first making things better with you".

She paused, turning away from me for a split second before turning back.

"I love you Jacob and I need you in my life".

I groaned and as gently as I could, moved Bella away from me. She was doing it again. She was using whatever it was that she used to pull me into her. I couldn't have that.

Out of extreme frustration, I gripped my hair with both hands, tugging so roughly that my hair tie broke off and my hair fell to my shoulders.

"Why now Bella"! I suddenly yelled, so loud that it made her jump. "Of all the times for you to come back and say this shit to me, you chose now"? "CHRSIT"!

My body began to tremble uncontrollable and the force of it bent me forward and before I could get even a slight grip on my self-control, I was standing on four legs, my muzzle pulled back from my teeth.

Bella stared at me in fear and I couldn't help but growl. I was pissed and she wasn't helping at all. She took a small step towards me and my fur stood on end, a low rumble vibrating through my chest. She stopped.

"Jake please".

I looked at her once before turning around and bounding off into the forest, leaving Bella standing alone on the beach.

That was the first time I had ever lost control in front of someone. Figured Bella would be my reason to completely go ape shit.

"_Hey Jake man, what's up"? Thought you were off today"? _Seth asked and I cursed.

I had completely forgotten I had wolves out on patrol today.

"_Are you relieving one of us"? "Because let me just tell you that would be so fucking awesome and if you are, seniority over everything". _Jared said and then proceeded to show us exactly what he planned to do with an early day off.

But his thoughts were cut really short when he saw what was in my head. I couldn't have hidden the thoughts if I wanted too and both Seth and Jared were forced into silence as I replayed them what just happened on the beach.

"_Dude". _Jared said, shaking his head, trying to clear everything

Seth whined. I guess everything coming at him so fast and so intense made his head hurt. I could sympathize though. The shit was still running through my head.

"_So is she back for good"? _He asked and I raised my huge shoulders in a shrug.

"_She has some damn nerve that girl, wasn't it enough when she went off with that fucking bloodsucker boyfriend of hers? _Jared said, angrily and I couldn't help but agree with him. But I wasn't in the mood right now to discuss the weird and confusing ass behavior of Isabella Marie Swan.

"_I'll talk to you guys later". _I told them, turning around making my way back towards the beach, hoping and defiantly praying that Bella was not still there.

Someone up there must have thought I had dealt with too much today because when I reached the beach, Bella was gone and I breathed a sigh of relief. But of course that relief was very short lived.

Before I had a chance to phase back I heard footsteps and I slowly pushed myself deeper into the trees so that whoever it was coming could not see me, but I could see the person perfectly fine.

Naomi came into my line of vision then and I wanted to run to her, until I remembered I was a huge wolf. She hadn't seen me like this yet and didn't really know what her reaction was going to be. So I stayed hidden and just watched her.

She was looking around the beach, scanning the area and I knew she was looking for me. I wanted to go her, but because of my little episode a couple minutes ago, I had shed my clothes and as much as I wouldn't have minded in other circumstances, I didn't want to freak her out.

Maybe I would just go home, get myself together and call her later. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, by some strange turn of events, Naomi looked over in my direction, almost as if she could sense that I was there.

I fucking freaked.

She moved slowly towards me and I didn't know what the hell to do. If I moved she would definitely know something was here, and if I didn't she would see me.

Naomi was almost right in front of me now and I needed to move. I put one paw behind me, hoping to move my massive body as quietly as possible.

"Jake"?

Her soft voice called to me and I stopped. I didn't know whether I wanted to run from her or go to her. But she didn't leave me anytime to make that decision on my own. Naomi stepped forward and pushed her way through the trees until she stood right in front of me and she gave a soft little gasp.

"Jake is that you"? She asked, her eyes taking in every inch of my huge, furry frame.

I whined and lowered myself to the ground, hoping to make myself a little bit less intimidating for her.

She smiled and made her way closer to me.

"You don't have to do that, I'm not afraid of you Jake".

I looked up at her once she stood about an inch away from me, and slowly stood to my full height, now standing a good two or three feet above her small frame.

Naomi stared at me in awe and softly placed a hand on my fur, pulling the hair gently through her fingers. I closed my eyes and a low, contented growl rumbled in my chest. Naomi laughed.

"You like that baby"? She asked softly and I turned my head so that I could bump my cold nose softly against her cheek, earning a cute little giggle from her. Naomi grabbed my large head in both her tiny hands and stared into my eyes. If possible, in that one moment, I loved this girl that much more. She honestly accepted me exactly the way I was, fur, claws and gigantic teeth and all.

"You are so beautiful Jacob". Naomi said quietly and surprised me by bumping her small nose against mine, in some semblance of a kiss. Then she wrapped her arms as far as she could them around my neck, pushing her frame against mine. I buried my nose in her hair and took a deep breath. Just smelling her scent and feeling her heat was enough to calm me, and I allowed my body to slowly change back, wrapping my arms around her tightly. I kept my face buried deeply in her neck and refused to let go. I felt Naomi trying to pull away, to look at my face but I wouldn't let her go.

"What's wrong baby"?

I pulled away then, looking at her beautiful face and kissed her, earning a little moan from her in the process. I broke away to kiss down her neck before bringing her back into me. Naomi wrapped her arms around my neck, completely unfazed by my nakedness. I sighed.

"Nothing's wrong sweetheart, everything is fine now honey".

And as long as I had her in my arms, everything would be.

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A/N: Chapter is a little shorter than normal but I wanted to stay in Jacob's POV so you can see just how he feels now that Bella all of a sudden has come back into the picture. Things are going to get very interesting. Our favorite werewolf is not entirely done with his feelings for Ms. Swan. As always please review. *smooches*


	26. The Future

_**A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews and comments. I won't keep you guys long. Just so happy that you all are enjoying the story*squeals girlishly*. Here is Chapter 26….enjoy.**_

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*The Future*

_**Naomi's POV**_

I didn't know what was wrong or what had happened, all I knew was that I had never been held as tightly as I was being held right now. I almost couldn't get a full breath of air in my lungs because Jake's arms were locked so tightly around my torso.

But I didn't care.

I could feel him hurting and deep down I knew he was swimming in his own turmoil, but I wasn't going to push him. Whenever Jacob was ready to tell me what was going on, I would listen.

I gave him another soft kiss to his lips and Jake leaned his head on mine, his eyes closed and his breathing even.

"I hate seeing you like this". I said quietly and finally he opened his eyes to look at me.

"I'm sorry honey, just dealing with a lot right now".

I gave him a smile and ran my hand through his thick hair.

"Do you want to talk about it"?

Jake grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on my palm.

"Yeah I do, but I think it would be better if I grabbed some clothes first".

He grabbed my hand gently and stood to his feet, bringing me with him. Jacob was a gorgeous man and I found myself admiring his strong and defined body, not even the least bit bothered by his lack of clothing. Nudity was a part of his lifestyle and it was only a matter of time before I was to see him in all his glory.

"You're staring honey". Jake said and when I caught his eye, he was smirking at me.

I laughed, allowing myself one last long, slow look before my eyes locked back with his.

"Just wanted to etch you just like this in my memory".

Jacob's booming laughed vibrated off the trees around us, and I smiled, happy that I could get him laughing again, even if it was for just a minute.

* * *

We sat on the beach for what seemed like hours after Jake had jogged home and put on some basketball shorts, deciding against a shirt. I sat and listened to him as he told me what happened earlier before, and I found myself frowning. Why the hell was Bella back in town? And what the fuck did she want? I couldn't help but feel some type of way towards her. Between the things that Jacob has told me and his brothers, Bella was not one of my favorite people even if I had never met her before.

"So why do you think she's here"? I asked him softly, rubbing soft circles on the hand I was holding with my thumb.

Jake sighed, looking at our joined hands.

"I honestly don't know sweetheart, I don't know what she expects from me".

I laid my head on his shoulder, looking out at the softly crashing waves.

"Maybe she wants to re-establish your friendship". I offered quietly. I wasn't taking Bella's side by any means, but I didn't want to judge her too much.

Jacob snorted loudly and gave a very sarcastic laugh.

"She established exactly where our friend was when she walked out my life two years ago".

He sighed and looked at me, giving me a small smile.

"I don't want to talk about her anymore; I want to concentrate on you and me right now".

I smiled and I could feel my cheeks warm up. I laughed, now suddenly nervous and turned away, my hair falling to cover my face. Jake grabbed my chin with his hand and turned my face back to his and before I could think, pressed his warm lips to mine. I sighed and melted into him. I loved kissing him, he was always so warm. He pulled away from me and I pouted. Jake laughed and placed one more kiss to my lips before he stood to his feet. He reached a hand towards me and I smiled as I took it and he pulled up on my legs.

"Let's watch some movies and get a late lunch, my dad won't be home till later". Jake said, smiling as he threw an arm around my shoulders, bringing me against his side.

I laughed as I wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest.

"I'll love too". I said, poking Jake hard in his side.

He doubled over and I took off running up the beach towards his house. Jake took off right after me and I screamed in mock terror as he caught up. I dodged out of reach every time he got close, allowing his fingertips to graze my skin before I skipped away. We both couldn't stop laughing. I knew I was faster than Jacob but I also knew he wasn't really trying to catch me. We just both lived in the moment, enjoying what we had right now, because I had a feeling that things were going to get a bit difficult in the next couple days.

I stopped in my tracks and Jake slammed into my back, caught off guard by the sudden lack of movement. He wrapped an arm around my waist tightly to keep us from falling and I leaned into him, absorbing his heat.

"You will never completely get away from me sweetheart". Jake whispered in my ear and I smiled.

I turned around in his arms, laying my head on his chest.

"And I wouldn't want too".

* * *

I was completely freaking out. I stopped my pacing and threw my hands up in frustration.

"That's it, I quit, and I'm not going". I said, flopping back onto my bed. Camille looked at me over her shoulder from my bedroom closet and laughed.

"You are being a complete drama queen right now missy". "You have so many options in here to choose from".

I sighed and continued with my self-pity on my bed. Jacob and his brothers had invited us (yes Aaron too) all out to join them in celebrating Seth's 21st birthday at some new club down in Port Angeles and I didn't have a damn thing to wear, at least I didn't think I did. I have never been to a club before and I didn't have a clue about what to wear or what not to wear and I had spent the last hour trying to decide just that. Final verdict-I wasn't going.

Camille was pulling out a variety of different articles of clothing as I propped myself up with my elbows. She was already dressed, wearing a pair of snug fitting dark denim skinny jeans, a dark blue halter corset and matching dark blue high heel platforms. Her long hair was in a neat ponytail that still fell almost to the top of her butt. Camille had on minimal make-up, just had her eyes done up a bit and clear lip gloss.

My sister looked pretty; she had the experience to deal with this kind of thing. Too bad I didn't.

"C'mon miss". She said, walking over to me and pulling on my arm. "I've found your outfit, now go get in the shower".

She pushed me towards the bathroom and I had just enough time to grab some personals.

"What if I don't look right"? I asked, somewhat pouting.

Camille laughed and flipped her ponytail over her shoulder.

"Trust me, after I get you ready, Jacob won't be able to keep his eyes off of you".

Then she gave me a small smile.

"Plus you're my sister, and we look good in anything".

I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

* * *

By the time i had gotten out of the shower and Camille had worked her magic, I didn't even recognize myself.

My sister had found this sick midnight black halter dress that stopped right above my knees. It had a sash that tied around the waist that showed off my hips. Camille kept everything else simple. I had on a single slim gold necklace and a bangle of gold bracelets on my left arm. My hair was blown out straight and I had a soft bang that fell against my eyelashes. Camille had also kept my makeup simple, doing a smoky eye look. I thought I was fine just like this but my sister thought I needed just a couple more touches. When she added the sexy red high heeled platform pumps, and applied the same sexy red color to my lips, she finally said I was ready. I looked like a fucking sex goddess if I did say so myself.

Camille stood back and admired her handy work.

"Damn little sis, I think you are showing me up tonight".

I flagged her but never took my eyes off my reflection. I couldn't believe how good I looked.

"Please, I don't look that good".

A voice caught us both off guard from the doorway.

"I beg to differ, little one".

I turned and gave my brother a huge smile. Aaron looked so handsome in his dark green long sleeved shirt and some nice dark denim jeans with dark brown boots.

"You really think I'm pretty"? I asked.

Aaron gave me a smile and walked towards me, giving me a kiss on the cheek. He grabbed both me and Camille's hands and placed a kiss on each of our palms.

"My girls are fucking gorgeous".

We laughed and made our way out the house.

* * *

We didn't pull up to the club until way passed 10:30pm that night. Aaron had taken a wrong turn somewhere down the road and it took a whole twenty minutes just to get turned back around. We parked our car and made our way to the entrance. The line was ridiculously long and I briefly wondered how we were ever going to get in. However that concern was quickly squashed.

"It's about time you got here". Quil yelled rather loudly from the entrance. He spoke into the bouncer's ear for a second and he reached over and removed the ropes, moving back so that we could walk passed. Quil gave Camille a kiss on her cheek and shook Aaron's hand before he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I have to tell you my dear, you look absolutely mouth-watering tonight" He said, quirking an eyebrow suggestively.

I laughed and elbowed him in the side. Quil was always saying things like this.

"Thank you, I guess if you approve that means I look ok".

Quil looked at me like I was crazy.

"Ok is definitely not a word I would use to describe how you look tonight, Jake will have a heart attack when he sees you".

I blushed.

The club was packed, but it was very nice. Of course there was a dance floor in the middle, but it was surrounded by small comfortable looking tables. The whole place was dimly lit, just enough so that it wasn't completely dark. The place was casual but elegant and I was surprised that the guys had picked this as their location for partying.

Quil led us over to the section that was marked off for the guys and not surprisingly it was the loudest section of the entire club. Everyone was here, even Leah. But I didn't see Jacob. Where was he?

"Don't worry him and Jared went to the bar for some drinks, they'll be back". Quil answered my unspoken question and gave me a smile. I smiled back. They were getting to know us to well.

I looked for my sister and she had found Embry and they were sitting inside of a booth. I smiled. Jacob had told me about Embry imprinting on Camille and I honestly had to say that I didn't mind it at all. Embry was a good guy and I considered him my friend. And as long as he made Camille happy I was happy.

Aaron popped into my line a vision, a huge smile on his face, him and Paul were just laughing about only God knows what.

"Hey, I'm going to the bar, did you want anything"?

I shrugged, not really knowing what to get.

"Just get me whatever you're having".

Aaron nodded and passed me, Paul following close behind but not before he stopped to give me quick kiss on my cheek and a wink. A girl could get use to the treatment I always got when I was around them. The Pack definitely didn't hide their affection. They were very hands on with just about everything.

I had only been standing for a little bit but my feet were already beginning to hurt like hell. I mean, cut me some slack, this was my first time wearing heels and these things were a good four or five inches tall. Camille was trying to kill me.

I moved forward, trying to sit in the first chair I could come in contact with, but was stopped. A pair of strong, warm arms snaked their way around my waist.

"You are wearing the shit out of that dress honey".

I smiled at Jacob's voice, leaning my head to the side a bit as he buried his face in my neck, taking in a deep breath. This was something he did all the time and now I was so use to it, the movement was almost involuntary.

"You really think so"? I asked and Jake snorted, making me laugh out loud.

"Hell yeah I think so, and those heels are making me have some very inappropriate thoughts right now, you're killing me babe".

Those words made my confidence soar and I couldn't keep the huge grin off my face. I turned around in Jake's arms and was really able to look at him. He was really handsome in his jeans and light tan long sleeved sweater. His hair was getting longer and he had it pulled back in a neat ponytail, making him look a little erotic. These freaking Quileute boys really knew how to clean up.

"You don't look to bad yourself". I said, taking him in completely from head to toe.

Jake gave me a huge smile, his arm pushing me closer into him.

"Come on, let's dance". He said taking my hand and pulling me towards the dance floor.

I panicked. I never danced before and for someone who's first time wearing heels was tonight; this wasn't a situation I wanted to put myself in.

I yanked on Jake's arm, hoping to slow his momentum.

"Jake wait, I haven't danced before and these shoes are not really that ideal right now".

Jacob stopped, turned towards me and rolled his eyes.

"This is a slow song honey, not much dancing is required and plus I just need and excuse to hold you close without looking like I'm trying to rip your clothes, which is exactly what I want to do right now".

My mouth gaped open in shock at Jacob's words and he gave me another grin before continuing on his way. He was always very open and honest about what he wanted and I found that very appealing. Something hot flowed between my legs and I had to shake my head to clear the haze that suddenly clouded it. I had a sudden, overwhelming need to get Jacob alone right now.

When we reached the dance floor, Jake turned around to face me, a seductive little smirk playing on his lips. He placed a hand on the small of my back and gently pushed my body against his. When he was sure I wasn't going to shy away (as if I would) he grabbed both my arms and wrapped them around his neck, before resting his hands on my hips, gripping them softly every now and then. I really, _really_ wanted to get this man alone right now.

"You really do look amazing tonight". He said and once again I couldn't help blushing.

"It's really not all that". I said, turning my head to stare at a spot on the ground. Jake turned my head back by my chin, so that I could look at his face.

"I wish you would stop doing that, you're gorgeous, every guy in here as their eyes on you".

He leaned down and softly kissed my lips, pulling away just a bit so that our lips were just barely touching.

"And you have my full and undivided attention".

I smiled, leaning closer to him and closed my eyes as Jake moved us slowly from side to side, going in tune to the beat of the music. Then all of a sudden I felt him stiffen and I looked up at me.

Jacob was staring over my head at something or someone and I turned around, trying to see what exactly he was looking at.

Three girls had just entered the club and made their way over to the bar that was one our side of the club. I watched as they ordered their drinks and then turned around and stared directly at me. Or maybe they weren't looking at me at all, and as I continued to stare I figured they were all staring at Jacob. I turned back to him and for the first time I felt his body shaking slightly. His face was a hard mask of anger and his jaw was locked tight, a vein pulsing in his neck

I understood then exactly what was going on.

"Is that her Jake"? I asked quietly. "Is that Bella"?

Jacob tore his eyes away from the group and looked down at me, his face tortured and sad.

"Yeah, that's her".

Once he said that, I felt like I needed to stake my claim. Maybe it was the wolf inside me or maybe it was all me. But I all of a sudden i wanted to show this girl exactly what she missed out on.

I smiled.

"Well let's not have them ruin our good time". I said, my voice dropping lower without my permission. I gave a short laugh, tossing some hair out my face.

Jacob was looking at me in confusion, but his eyes were shining with something totally different. I leaned in closer to him.

"Plus, if they want to stare at us, we could at least give them something to look at".

And before Jake had a chance to process what I was doing, I placed my lips on his. I could tell it had taken him off guard but it didn't take long before he was responding to me, arms wrapping tightly around my waist and slightly lifting me off my feet. I was smiling inside.

I wanted this Bella chick to know that she had lost her shot. Jacob was now all mines and there was no way in hell that I was giving him up without a damn good fight.

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Leah's POV.

I would have never gone to this damn club if it wasn't for my little brother's birthday party. And I damn sure wouldn't have dressed up if Jacob's sister Rebecca hadn't kidnapped me, tied me up and forcefully put me into clothes other than the torn tank top and cut off shorts that I usually worn.

I mean that in a serious sense.

This trick literally had to tie me down in order for me to get anywhere near those clothes. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't having a good time. I act like a bitch most of the time and I could be a little brutal with my words, but I loved my pack brothers to death and I knew they loved me, even though we wanted to rip each other's heads off most of the time. I never did mind going out with them; in fact, I had a ball every time we did venture out into the Seattle nightlife.

But tonight I had a completely different motive.

I had told Jacob what I had planned to do a couple days ago and he agreed I should go for it. I couldn't thank him enough for keeping his thoughts locked away from the others when we were phased about what he knew. Imprinting was hard enough for me without the whole pack knowing about it.

I never thought it would happen for me, I thought I was completely destined for a life of solitude and loneness. So when it did happen, I couldn't handle it. And I didn't know a damn thing about my imprintee except for his first name.

But that wasn't going to stop me tonight.

I took down the last of my drink and made my way over, trying to go through what I was going to say in my head. It wasn't confidence that I lacked, I was unsure. What if he wasn't interested? What if he rejected me? I squared my shoulders and took a deep breathe.

He was talking to someone and waited till that person left before I moved in. He was just beginning to turn away from the bar when I stepped in front of him.

"So which one is mine"? I asked, catching him completely by surprise.

"Well one was for me and the other was for my sister".

I looked over my shoulder at the dance floor before I turned back towards him, a smile on my face.

"Well, it doesn't look like she is thinking about drinking anything right now, so I'm she wouldn't mind".

I took the extra drink from his hand and sipped. I extended my hand out to him.

"My name is Leah, I don't think we were formally introduced, you're Aaron right"?

He smiled taking my hand in his and raised it to his lips, placing a kiss on top of it. My heart started beating faster and my legs felt like jello.

"That's correct, did you want to go somewhere and chill".

I smiled and took another sip of my drink, liking where this was going.

"I'll love too".

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A/N: Hoped you liked the little snippet into Leah's head. I wanted to give you guys a chance to find out what was going on with her. This was a long Chapter, longer than what I am use to writing but I just wanted everyone to have a bit of fun before the emotional drama kicked in. As always please review, it makes me giddy.


	27. Right Now

_**A/N: Hello good people! I am in a very good writing mood, so here is chapter 27. Enjoy!**_

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*Right Now*

_**Jacob's POV**_

Women were evil.

They were solely put on this earth to torture the male population, with their small little dresses and fuck me pumps.

And I was almost certain that Naomi was put here to kill me slowly.

My mouth instantly began to water when I first laid eyes on the vixen and Jared had to actually hit me in my side to stop me from looking like some kind of pyscho. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing in that short little black dress and those god-forsaken red pumps. I wanted to take her somewhere dark, quiet and alone, just so that I could take my time in exploring her, every last inch and every little crevice.

This of course was the wolf talking.

When he shut the fuck up, I was really able to see her. She looked really beautiful. But Mr. Wolf was never quiet for long and spoke back up after a while. I noticed just how long her legs were and how defined her calf muscles looked in those god damn heels. The dress showed off those delicious hips and that gorgeous behind. If I kept listening to Mr. Wolf, I was going to be missing, and I wouldn't be by myself.

If I thought it was torture just looking at her from a distance, then it was just down right wrong and completely unfair when I actually got close. She smelled fucking delicious and it took every ounce of strength and self-control I had to not swing her over my shoulder and take her right home.

I couldn't complain though. The night had been really good and I loved how Naomi felt in my arms. I wasn't concerned about a thing.

Except for when Bella walked in.

I never expected to see her here and it took me off guard when she walked in with two of her high school friends. She looked good, and I was actually surprised she was actually wearing a dress. I watched as she flipped her long chestnut hair over her shoulder as she ordered a drink before she turned back towards me, her eyes meeting mine.

I groaned inwardly. This was not happening. Couldn't I have just one night that was peaceful and not filled with drama?

"Is that her Jake"? "Is that Bella"?

When Naomi asked me that question, I found that I couldn't lie to her, I told her the truth and to my utter surprise she smiled, she actually fucking smiled.

What the heck was going on?

Before I could process a damn thing, Naomi's lips were on mine, kissing me with a fierce passion that I couldn't help but respond too. All thoughts of Bella and what she was doing here were flown right out the fucking window.

The little dark haired vixen in front of me had my whole attention.

I pulled away from her and my hands gripped her hips. I leaned my head against hers and took a few deep breaths, I needed to calm myself down otherwise the people occupying this club were about to get one hell of a show. And I wasn't going to keep it PG-13.

"Are you trying to kill me"? I said quietly and the little devil in the black dressed laughed. Yeah, she was trying to kill me.

"No I'm not; I'm just marking my territory".

When she said that, Mr. Wolf once again reared his ugly head and everything around me got hazy. I vaguely remembered that we were in a room full of people, but at this very moment I could have gave two shits about that.

Naomi grabbed my face by my chin and brought it dangerously close to hers. There was a fierce emotion shining through those cinnamon colored eyes and all I could do was stare.

"You're mine Jacob Black and don't you fucking forget it".

She placed one more soft kiss to my lips and walked away from me. I was left standing in the middle of the dance floor with my mouth gaped open.

These women were all out to get me, I was sure of it.

* * *

I was leaning against the bar, sipping on something Paul had ordered for me. Didn't have a clue what it was, but it was strong as shit. I was watching and laughing at Seth and Naomi on the dance floor, he was trying his best to teach her how to do this Spanish dance and the only thing she was successful at was stepping on his toes. But they were having a ball.

I had to take a breather.

I had to get a hold of myself. After that heated confession from Naomi, I couldn't hold back any more and more than once I almost completely blacked out. You couldn't say those things to someone who had the blood of a wolf running through their veins.

And to be completely honest, I was still thinking about taking her home and doing exactly as I pleased.

As I watched her again as Seth spun her around in a circle, I decided that was exactly what I was going to do. I took down the rest of my drink, making a face because it was just that damn strong. What the hell did Paul order for me?

I placed my glass on the bar and was just turning back around to stalk my prey, when i was stopped.

"So are you just going to ignore me all night"?

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and just smirked. I wasn't beyond answering honestly.

"Was it that obvious"?

Bella frowned and I was really tempted to push by her and continue on my way.

"Can we just talk Jacob"?

This time I did roll my eyes. Was she fucking serious?

"Did you not see what happened last time Bella"? "I don't know how to handle being around you right now".

I moved to go around her but she stepped back in my way and the over whelming urge I had earlier to move her myself, intensified.

"You are not going anywhere until we talk". Bella said and I laughed. I wasn't doing this with her.

I grabbed her upper arms and lifted her a bit off her feet and moved her to the side.

"Later Bella".

I moved passed her, only to have her grab my hand. I stopped and turned to face her. Her eyes her glossy with unshed tears and my resolve broke.

"Please Jake, just give me a few minutes of your time, and I promise I won't bother you again".

I sighed.

Sure I was mad and I was pissed off at her, but not even I could turn down a female who had tears in her eyes.

I looked over Bella's head and met Naomi's eyes, which were questioning and confused. My life was just filled with complicated situations. And this was one that I would have to explain later.

I looked back down at Bella and inclined my head towards the club entrance. She nodded and turned around to leave. I followed.

Yeah, I was a glutton for punishment.

* * *

We must have been outside for what seemed to me like ten minutes and she still hadn't said anything. I stayed quiet too. It wasn't my idea to come out here in the first place.

But the longer we stood in silence the more impatient I became and all I wanted to do was get back to Naomi.

"Look Bella maybe we can….."

She turned towards me quickly and I saw the tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry okay Jacob"? She yelled, cutting me off. "I'm sorry for everything, I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for being a horrible friend, I'm sorry for breaking your heart".

Then she broke down, the sobs wracking her frame hard. I stood still for about a complete second, not really knowing what to do. Then I did what i had always done, the thing that always came natural for me.

I walked towards Bella and took her into my arms. I led her over to a bench that was outside and we sat down on it, my arms rubbing soothing circles on her arms. She turned her face into my chest and my heart stopped. I had to get control over this real quick.

"God, Jake I miss this". Bella said, her voice muffled my shirt, but I heard her anyway.

"Missed what Bella"? I asked, clearing my throat. This was way too much and way too soon.

"The way you feel, you're warmth".

I swallowed, hard. She was doing it again. She was pulling me in again. And I was allowing her to do it. I really had to get a hold of myself or this was going to get bad.

I pulled away from her and avoided making eye contact.

"I have to get back Bella"

I could feel her looking at my face but I refused to look at her. Bella sighed.

"You have to get back to your friend, she's pretty Jake".

I finally looked at her and slightly shook my head.

"Don't Bella".

I turned to walk away from her but I heard her heels clicking on the concrete. She stopped me in my tracks.

"I'm happy for you, I really am".

For some reason, that just made me angry. I took a step closer to her and Bella took a weary stepped back. Couldn't blame her though, last time I lost my temper I turned into a gigantic wolf.

"Don't say things like that". I said quietly.

Bella shook her head and placed a tentative hand on my arm.

"I really mean that Jake".

I had enough. I moved my arm from her reach and took a step away from her.

"How can you mean any of that Bella, when you were the reason I had to find someone else in the first place"?

I turned away from her briefly before I turned back and I grabbed her face in both my hands, making her gasp in surprise.

"Do even realize that I still love you Bella"?

She tried to turn her head from me, but I kept my grip firm. I needed her to understand, and I needed to get this off my chest.

"But I've moved on without you". "I always thought that leech was a drug for you, well you were my drug Bella, and for the longest I couldn't get over you, get enough of you, like a junkie looking for his next hit".

I briefly looked over my shoulder, at the entrance to the club, with a small smile on my face. Then my eyes were on Bella again

"Naomi is my rehab, my cure". She has put me back together just like I did for you, all those years ago". "It's just that unlike you, I'm allowing myself to move on, and let go of everything that has destroyed me in the past".

I let go of her face and stepped back, not even caring that Bella's eyes were full of tears. She wasn't going to get me this time.

"Let me be Bella, I have finally seen what life is like without you, I need to keep it that way to hold on to my sanity". "Just leave me alone".

I turned my back on her and made my way back towards the club, trying to ignore my own tears as they stung my eyes. I needed my solitude, my peace. I need to be near Naomi.

Because in all honesty I was fooling myself and I had no fucking clue about what to do. My heart was divided in two. One half, the bigger half, was held by the girl I had grown to love these past few months. The other half was still held by Isabella Marie Swan.

I had to figure out a way to get that half back.

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A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! I have done very well for myself with dishing out the chapters. Hopefully this inspirational streak can continue. As always please review, it's much appreciated. *Smooches*


	28. Uncertainty

_**A/N: You all should really be proud of me. The motivational streak is still in an effect. Here is chapter 28. Hope you enjoy.**_

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*Uncertainty*

_**Naomi's POV.**_

I was fuming.

The only question I wanted answered was why? Why?

Why would Jacob tell me one the thing and do something the complete opposite?

Why did he just leave with that girl when the very mention of her name made him cringe?

My mind was full of questions and unfortunately there was absolutely no one around to answer them. Not that I wanted anyone other than Jacob giving me these answers. But he wasn't here. And the more I thought about that simple fact, the more pissed off I became.

I had long since stopped dancing with Seth, seeing Jake leave with Bella just ruined my good mood. Even with Seth's reassurance, I wasn't completely convinced. I never really knew what it felt like to love someone other than my family, so I couldn't relate at all. But hearing everything from Jacob's perspective kind of gave me a general idea. And just knowing how deep and hard he had once felt for Bella, I knew that it was going to take some time to completely get over those feelings.

I stood off by myself, near the end of the bar, completing my sixth or seventh drink of whatever it was that Paul had handed me earlier. Every time I would finish one, there was always another waiting. Being a wolf, our metabolisms were extremely high and it ate everything so quickly that nothing ever had a chance to fully hit our systems. Paul had distinctly told me that the drinks were strong enough for me to feel a slight buzz and I have to admit after the fifth one, my head felt a little bit light.

Jacob hadn't come back in yet and my blood boiled. Just what the fuck was he doing out there? I sighed. I didn't know what the hell was coming over me, but I was really acting like a jealous high school girl. But in my mind, Jacob Black was mine and belonged to only me, so when anyone came close who, once again also in my mind, proved to be a threat I had to mark what was mine. That tall, muscular and animalistic man belonged to me whether he knew it or not.

My feet were really starting to hurt and I was contemplating on just calling it a night. I looked for Camille, and her and Embry were on the dance floor looking like they were having the time of their lives with each other. I smiled; well at least _someone _was having fun. I looked for Aaron then and saw him sitting in a booth with Leah, talking. That surprised me a little bit. _What the hell?_ Did Leah just laugh? As long as I had been around the pack, I had never seen her smile. Okay, the world had come to an end.

I looked for the rest of the boys and found them scattered around. Paul was sweet-talking some blonde girl in a dark corner not too far from me and I resisted the urge to laugh. Whatever he was saying to her must have been damn convincing because she was clinging to him and hanging on to his every word. Jared and his imprint Kim were snuggled together in another booth, kissing sweetly and laughing quietly with each other. Seth and Quil were both on the dance floor and it looked like they had three girls a piece, earning quite the audience around them. I had no idea where everybody else was, all I knew was that everyone was having a good time.

Except for me.

I should have just stayed home like I was going too in the first place. I could have avoided the hair, the makeup, the shoes, the dress, the annoyance, everything.

"Hey there beautiful". A voice called to me from my right and I turned towards it.

The guy was a cutie, standing a good foot above me even with heels on. He had dark chocolate brown hair and some amazing hazel eyes. He was handsome, but he wasn't Jacob. But Jacob wasn't here, and I wasn't having fun. No one was paying me any attention because everyone was in their own world.

So why not?

I smiled at Mr. Stranger and made my way over.

"Hello yourself". I said sweetly and he smiled.

Mr. Cutie nodded his head in the direction of the dance floor.

"Do you want to dance and then maybe get a drink later?

I smiled and did one of Camille's moves and tossed my hair over my shoulder. Normally, I would have said no, just on the strength that I just downright didn't dance. But because I had a couple drinks, well more like a hell of a lot of drinks, the alcohol was talking for me and I just went with it. I had only just now realized that the dizziness in my head had just increased. Whatever Paul had given me was really starting to take effect.

So when I reached forward and took cutie pie's hand, making my way towards the dance floor, it was definitely the drinks doing the actions.

I felt every member of the pack eyes on me as I made my way to the middle of the dance floor, but I didn't care. All of a sudden I didn't care about much of anything right then. The music was blaring and it took me away for a second. My body moved on its own accord and I just went with it. I felt Mr. Stranger's hands glide up my side and I hardly registered it. I wished I was dancing with Jacob right now, but he was too busy running after Bella to be worried about me.

"So what's your name pretty"? Mr. Stranger asked me and I wanted to tell him to shut up and just dance. I didn't want to tell him my name and his voice was just ruining my serenity that I was trying to achieve.

But of course someone else decided to ruin my nice little moment.

I felt someone pull on my arm before I saw them and the next thing I knew I was being dragged towards the bathroom. Then I was being turned around roughly by my shoulders and the last person I was expecting to see standing in front of me was Leah.

"Okay look". She sighed. "I just had to get you out of harm's way; Jacob is looking like he wants to rip someone a new asshole".

That got my attention. When the hell did he come back in the club? But I had to act nonchalant about the whole thing.

"I don't know why, he wasn't worried about me a moment ago".

Leah rolled her eyes at me, shaking her head.

"Look whatever you're thinking, just get it out your head, Jacob does not feel the same way about Bella like he use too, trust me I know".

I looked at her skeptically for a minute before my resolve broke. I wanted to ask her why the hell did she care, but it flew my mind.

"What should I do"? I asked, my voice going a bit higher than I wanted it to. "I like him a lot but I don't want to put myself out there if he is still tied with someone else".

Leah smiled and I could see just how pretty she was when she wasn't frowning.

"Make him fight for you".

I must have had one hell of a confused look on my face because Leah laughed.

"Love is never easy and if Jacob loves you how he says he does, then he will fight as hard as it takes to prove to you that you're it for him, no matter how long it takes".

Leah gave me a pat on my shoulder and made her way out of the bathroom, leaving me completely fucking speechless. Wasn't this the same girl that wanted to rip my head off just a few months ago and now she was giving me advice? These Quileute's were some strange individuals.

I briefly looked at my reflection in the mirror and shook out my hair. Then I took a deep breath and walked out.

The pair of eyes I made contact with was Jacob's and i defiantly looked away and stalked over to where my sister and Embry were sitting.

"Hey shorty, what the hell was that out there"? Em asked me and I shrugged my shoulders, a small smile on my face. I hadn't really noticed how many people were actually watching my little moment.

"Looks to me like my little sis here was trying to make someone jealous". Camille gave me a smile and a wink and I giggled.

Embry smiled at me too before his eyes focused on something behind me.

"From the looks of things, I'll say it worked".

Before I could ask him what the hell he was talking about, we were interrupted.

"Can I speak with you for a second"?

I turned around at the sound of Jacob's voice and looked up at him, his face a mask of calm control. I could tell that he was trying to keep it together and that he was just barely holding on.

So I ignored him.

"Sorry, but not right now".

I got right up out my seat and moved passed him, pushing against his chest so that I could have a path.

I felt Jake right behind me, but I refused to turn around as I walked back across the dance floor and towards the bar, sitting right next to Paul who was in a drinking contest with Quil. I grabbed a shot off the bar and downed it, hoping it would help with my confidence which was slowly ebbing away thanks to the angry werewolf behind me.

Quil eyed us in confusion and Paul followed suit.

"What the hell is up your ass bro". He directed his question at Jacob and I guess the look on his face was enough to answer Quil's question.

Both him and Paul moved away quietly, mumbling softly about ruined fun or something like that. The next thing I knew was that my back was in cased in heat.

"So what the fuck was that earlier"? Jake snarled quietly in my ear and my heart thudded steadily in my chest. I got control of myself before I turned around to face him. Jake was standing so close to me that our bodies touched.

"I have no idea what you're talking about".

I made to move around him again but this time Jacob stopped me, one of my wrist held in his hand and my arm pinned in between us.

"Bullshit". He said quietly and I finally looked directly at him.

"Oh, just like you and Bella was bullshit right"? "You didn't seem to care that much about what I was doing earlier".

For a second Jacob's faced changed but before I had a chance to make out what emotion was just there, his calm mask was back on in a split second. He grabbed my hand then and began pulling me back towards where the booths were.

"Come one". He said simply.

For a moment I allowed him to lead me, then I made eye contact with Leah and her words just a few minutes ago spoke loudly in my head. I paused.

I removed my hand from Jake's and met his confused gaze when he turned around.

"I'm going home". I said simply and turned around and made a bee line towards the exit.

Jacob stopped me again by grabbing my other hand, forcing me to come to a stop.

"No you're not". He said, pulling me again in the direction he wanted to go. I removed my hand from his for a second time.

"I am going home." I said again, emphasizing every word and I turned back around, moving through the crowds towards the exit.

I couldn't do this anymore; I couldn't pretend that I was fine. I needed to get out of here.

The night air hit my face and I was able to take a deep breath. I wouldn't bother my sister or my brother about rolling out early, I would just walk home.

"So what are you going to do Naomi, walk home"? Jacob called to me and I refused to turn around.

"That's exactly what I plan to do". I said simply, my heels making loud clinking noises on the concrete sidewalk.

I heard Jacob jog up to me and he stood in front of me. I pushed against his chest, hoping I could make him move. Of course he didn't.

"Why are you acting like this"? He asked and I sighed. Instead of answering I moved around him and continued on my way.

Didn't make too far.

Jacob grabbed my upper arm and forced me around to face him.

"Fucking talk to me Naomi, what the hell is wrong with you"?

I remained silent. I didn't want to have this conversation right here or right now. I was feeling too many things at the same.

"Just leave it alone Jacob".

I turned away, trying to keep a hold on my emotions. Jake grabbed me again and this time I felt his grip tighten and he refused to let me go.

"I won't, now tell me what the fuck is wrong".

I got angry then. Why couldn't he just leave the shit alone? I didn't want to talk about it.

"Goddamn it Jacob". I yelled. "Just leave it alone okay, go back to Bella or something".

I tried to turn away again but he held strong, if possible his grip tightened.

"Is that what all this shit is about"? Jake said, and then surprised the hell out of me and laughed. He fucking laughed.

That just pissed me off more.

I pushed Jacob in his chest hard and he stumbled backwards a bit.

"I'm glad you find that funny, I'm going home".

I swiftly bent down and removed my shoes, holding them in my hand and continuing down the sidewalk barefoot. Jacob recovered quickly and caught up to me.

"Why couldn't you just tell me what was wrong instead of getting mad like this".

I turned around and poked him in the chest with my finger.

"You were so wrapped up in Bella that you wouldn't have been able to see me anyway".

Jacob's face changed and became hard and cold. If possible he stepped even closer to me.

"Don't talk about things that you have no clue about". "And what the hell was that with that guy in there, if anyone should be pissed it should be me".

I looked at him indignantly for a second, really not believing him.

"If you hadn't left me alone, I wouldn't have needed to be with him". I shook my head. "GOD". I yelled. "You are so clueless".

I turned on my feet and walked away, the anger slowly building up inside me. I didn't hear Jacob behind me and for that I was grateful. I didn't care if it took me all night to get home, I knew that it wouldn't, but I just wanted the solitude.

"At least let me take you home Naomi, it's about to rain". Jacob called after me but I waved him off, more like flagged him off.

"I'll be fine". I yelled back, my bare feet thumbing quietly on the sidewalk. I knew it was about to rain, I could smell it in the air, but getting wet didn't bother me.

And on cue, as if the spirits heard our conversation, there was a clap of thunder in the distance and shortly after I felt the first few splatter of rain drops. As I continued on my way, it became steadier and soon my clothes and hair were completely drenched. But I didn't care. The rain was washing away my pain and my jealousy.

"NAOMI, come on"! Jacob yelled after me but I ignored him, never once stopping in my tracks.

Then all of a sudden he was standing in front of me and my steps faltered. Jacob was soaked too and all I kept thinking was how incredibly sexy he looked wet.

"Stop being stubborn and let me take you home".

I chuckled and pushed against him, I wanted to be alone.

"I told you I'll be fine".

I went to step around him and without warning Jacob tossed me over his shoulder and stalked off towards the parking lot. I was furious. How dare he treat me like something he owned? I punched him in his back and kicked my legs frantically. My punches had absolutely no effect on Jake whatsoever and he pinned my legs together with one hand to cease my kicking. Our strength was almost equally to each other but Jacob was stronger, naturally because he was an Alpha.

"Jacob Black if you do not put me down right now, I will never speak to again after tonight".

Jake snorted but never stopped his movements.

"You weren't talking to me anyway". He said simply, and it just pissed me off more.

We made it back to his car and without a word Jacob set me down on my feet. He unlocked the car and walked over to the driver side. I made a move to walk away.

"Naomi if you do not get in this car right now, I swear I will really give you a reason not to talk to me after tonight, now get in the fucking car". Jacob's face was hard and his eyes were serious. The fierceness in his voice stirred something inside me and it made me grow hot.

The wolf inside me grew excited and I didn't know whether or not to answer her or stay quiet. Instead I settled on throwing the passenger side door open, sliding in, and slamming the door behind me, crossing my arms across my chest like a spoiled brat.

Jacob Black was slowly working my nerves.

* * *

When we got back in Forks, we were pulling up in front of a house I didn't recognize.

Whose house this"? I asked, completely forgetting that I wasn't speaking to Jake, the entire ride here being silent.

Jacob cut the engine and took the key out the ignition.

"This is my house". He said simply, opening up the door and getting out.

I sat dumbfounded for a second. He had never once mentioned to me that he had a house of his own and I just assumed he stayed with Billy. Just something else I didn't know about Jake.

He came over to my side and opened the door but I didn't get out.

"I told you I wanted to go home".

Jake gave a very deep sigh, lowering his head before bringing his eyes back to mine again.

"I really don't want to, but I swear I would move you out myself".

I looked at his face and he was dead serious. I was getting tired of him telling me what to do. I got out the car and Jake closed the door behind me. I followed behind him wordlessly up his front steps and once he opened the front door, we walked in. Jake's house was very modern but cozy. He had a lot of pictures of his family and friends hanging along the walls as well some very detailed paintings.

Jacob left me in his living room and went upstairs without a word and I took the time to look around some more. One the fireplace mantle there were small wooden cravings of wolfs and I had to smile a little at that. Then there was a very beautiful dream catcher hanging in the middle and it briefly reminded me of the one my dad gave me when I was little. I was daydreaming so much that I hadn't even heard Jacob come back into the room.

"I brought you some dry clothes"

I turned around and almost choked. Jacob had changed out of his soaked clothing and was now only wearing a pair of dark grey sweatpants that hung off his hips. He wasn't wearing a shirt and I had the overwhelming urge to run my hand over his dark skin and smooth muscles.

But I couldn't stay. I didn't want to stay.

"I'm going home Jacob, I told you that before".

He laughed and moved passed me and lit a fire in the fireplace, which cased his living room in a soft amber glow. When he turned back to me, his eyes were fierce.

"You are not going anywhere".

And before I could even think, his lips were on mine, encasing them with his own, surrounding me with his heat. In that moment I forgot all about why I was mad at him or even why I wanted to go home, all that mattered was Jacob.

He removed his lip from mine but continued placing soft, but passionate kisses down my neck and I closed my eyes, allowing myself to just feel and not over think.

"I said I brought you some dry clothes". Jake said quietly, his voice deep and husky.

I pulled away from him and didn't shy away from the intense gaze he was giving me. Before my nerves got the best of me, I reached behind me and unzipped the back of my dressed until it almost reached the bottom. I held one arm against the front of my dress so that it wouldn't fall down, but when I got the zipper to the bottom I moved my arm and the dress fell to the floor and I stood in front of Jacob almost completely naked.

I heard him take in a breath and I felt his eyes roam over the entire length of my body and I should have felt self-conscience, but the way he was looking at me, any woman would have felt appreciated under his gaze.

"Come here honey, let me touch you". Jake said quietly, his voice now so much deeper than it was earlier.

I hesitated. The earlier confidence I had evaporating quickly. I didn't move.

Jacob stared at me for another moment before he stalked over to me and scooped me up in his arms roughly.

"I said come here". He growled burying his head in my neck, nipping at the skin softly.

My wolf roared to life and I found that I didn't mind him telling me what to do now so much. I kind of liked it.

Without any effort at all, Jacob picked me up and moved us to his huge couch, right in front of the fireplace. As soon as my back hit the soft material, he captured my lips again and a little moan escaped me without warning. He was making me feel things that I have never experienced before and a little part of me was nervous, the other part of me, my wolf part, felt like this was right and that I needed him to prove to me that I was what he wanted and to mark me as his own.

Jacob's lips moved from my lips back down to my neck where he stayed for a minute sucking and nipping at the sensitive skin there and I moaned again which made a very animalistic growl come deep from Jake's chest. The wolf inside me howled with excitement at the sound.

What was this man doing to me?

His lips moved from my neck down to my collarbone, placing soft kisses there then he continued lower coming face to face with my breasts. On instinct, my arms flew up to cover myself but Jake was having none of that.

"Don't hide yourself honey, now move".

He gently moved my arms away and took me completely in.

"God you are so beautiful". He whispered quietly before leaning down and placing a kiss on each of my breast.

My breath caught as I felt his tongue twirl around a nipple and my hips jerked up to meet his. I heard Jake laugh a little as he moved on to the next one and did the same thing and without my permission a deep, moan escaped my throat.

"I love that sound". Jake said quietly and I could feel his grin against my skin.

The male ego was indeed something to behold.

Jacob continued on his way, placing soft kisses down my stomach, stopping briefly to dip his tongue into my belly button which caused me to giggle. Then he reached my hips and he stopped.

"Rise up a bit sweetheart". Jake said his voice so sexy, deep and alluring that I had no reason but to do as he asked.

I lifted my hips off the couch a bit and Jake's hands slipped underneath them and his fingers hooked into my underwear, sliding them softly down my legs and off.

Now I was completely naked, and the way Jake was looking at me, I had never felt more beautiful.

"Honey you are going to be the death of me, you are so goddamn beautiful and you smell….." _"Fuck"._

Whatever he was about to say got caught in his throat and when his eyes met mine, they were no longer his normal deep black color; instead they were soft amber. I was no longer looking into the eyes of Jacob Black. I was staring into the eyes of a wolf.

My wolf.

Jacob groaned then and without so much of a warning, moved down, grabbed my hips roughly in his hands and placed a soft kiss on my sweet spot.

I let out a soft squeak of surprise and Jake never gave me a chance to recover, his tongue starting a steady rhythm on something that felt really, _really _good.

I couldn't control the sounds and the noises that were coming from me even if I wanted to do. Jacob was doing something to me that I have never felt before and it was driving me insane. A couple of times I tried to move away from him and his lips, but Jacob was having none of that. His hands tightened around my hips and he pulled me back to him, holding me so that I couldn't even move a muscle.

"Stay where you are". He growled and then my head got extremely clouded.

I couldn't think, I couldn't see, I could only feel and I was feeling something right now. There was a tightening in my stomach that seemed to grow bigger and bigger the longer Jake kept going.

"Oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god". I kept the steady stream of words flowing from my mouth and I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt it in the pit of my stomach and the heat was almost enough to consume me.

Without thinking, I reached down and grabbed a hold of Jake's hair tightly, the silky black strands sliding through my fingers and I held on, not even caring if I pulled to hard.

Then I felt it. The tightening in my stomach stopped and then all at once it was released. I couldn't stop the scream the came up my throat. My body arched upward and I grabbed onto Jacob's shoulders to keep myself from completely falling off the couch. The orgasm rocked me hard and it took me a few seconds to come down from riding out the wave.

Jacob softly kissed my sensitive nub one more time before he came back up to me, a very smug smirk on his face.

"Are you okay"? He asked, pushing back some of my hair from my face.

I smiled, touching the ends of his hair that I had pulled out of his ponytail.

"I couldn't be better".

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, pulling him on top of me, my tongue tasting myself on his lips. He groaned and deepened the kiss and we stayed like that for a few minutes before he turned us over, breaking the kiss and i was lying on top of him now.

I could feel his arousal on my leg and I smiled as I was absently drawing circles on his chest with my finger.

"Are you going to do something about that"? I asked.

Jacob laughed and held me closer, giving me a kiss on the top of my hair.

"I wasn't worried too much about me; all I cared about was taking care of you".

I looked up at him and he was staring right at me. He gave me a small smile.

"I love you Naomi, I'm in love with _you_ please don't ever question that".

I leaned up and gave me another kiss before I laid my head down on his chest, listening to his heart beat and enjoying his arms around me.

I could use to this.

* * *

I never knew when we had both had fallen asleep, but when I cracked open my eyes and took a peak outside, the sun was just coming up so it was still early. I stretched but not too much because I didn't want to wake the sleeping man underneath me.

I smiled as I looked at him.

Jacob was extremely handsome; his features strong, sharp and defined. His skin was so smooth and his muscles were just enough, not too much to be overly bulky. His whole persona screamed with masculinity.

His words from last night still sang in my head and I frowned. I wanted so badly to believe him but I was torn. And deep down I knew he was too.

I got to my feet slowly and quietly went around and collected my items, putting them back one. I didn't want to walk out Jacob's front door naked, but as soon as I hit the security of the trees I was going to let my wolf take complete control of me.

I found a pen and a piece of paper and quickly wrote Jake a note. I left it where he would see it and silently made my way to the front door. I took another look at the sleeping man that I had grown to love and smiled. I would leave him to his decisions. It was already hard for him without me getting in the way. I knew Jacob enough now to know that even though he said he loved me and was in love with only me, I knew I didn't have his whole heart. I couldn't just have half of it, I needed it all. I needed him to give me his entire heart like I had given mine to him. And only he could decide if he really wanted me to have all of it.

I stood and looked at Jake for a little bit more before I open the door and quietly walked out.

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A/N: Whew! That was one of my longest chapters I have written so far. I had fun writing this! Also this was my first time writing a tad bit of lime (not really a lemon yet), let me know what you thought about it, I was trying to be a bit tasteful with it. Has always hoped you all enjoyed and please review and let me know what you're thinking. *Smooches* MN


	29. Choices

_**A/N: So happy with everyone who decided to review last chapter. Really value everyone's thoughts and opinions on this story. Makes me all giddy inside. With that, here is Chapter 29, enjoy.**_

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*Choices*

_**Jacob's POV**_

_Hey Jake,_

_I wanted to let you know that I had an incredible night last night, and not just because of what you did, but because I was with you. I also wanted to apologize for my behavior too; I kind of overreacted when I saw you leave with Bella. Shit, I'm not going to lie and say that I wasn't jealous because I absolutely was one hundred percent jealous. I feel this weird sense of claim over you, and in my mind you are mine._

_But I know that you are not._

_It's okay Jake, it really is, I know that you are being pulled in two different directions and that your heart is confused. I know you say you love me and I believe that one day maybe, you might actually be able to give me your whole heart, but as of right now, you cant._

_I love you Jacob and you have my heart. But I will leave you alone, so that you can decide for yourself who you want to give yours too, completely and fully. And if it is not me, I will be okay with that. I care about you so much that I just want you to be happy, even if I'm that person. Whatever your decision, I will be waiting to hear from you._

_Love you always,_

_Naomi._

What a great fucking way to wake up from one of the best nights I have had in a long time. First off, I woke up alone and cold and then the next thing I know, I find a letter waiting for me telling me that the girl I loved was leaving me alone to let me decide who I really wanted to be with.

What was wrong with females?

They get mad at us for not understanding, but then they say shit like this, saying they had an incredible night but they were going to leave us alone?

Could you honestly blame us for being confused? Women were the most complex and confusing creatures on this planet.

I sighed and crumpled up the letter, tossing it without looking into the trash. I wanted to be angry and run to the phone and call Naomi and tell her that she was wrong, completely wrong and let her know that she had my whole heart.

But I couldn't.

I knew that what Naomi had said was true. While she did indeed hold the bigger half of my heart, Bella still had the other. You couldn't move own without all the pieces.

I laughed. It's funny that my life could never just be simple. I couldn't just fall in love with a woman that I met a couple months ago and just be happy. NO! Old mister Jakey boy had to still be in love with his childhood friend, who didn't love him in the same sense and who was currently engaged to his mortal, natural enemy.

Great wasn't it?

I grabbed some basketball shorts and threw on a tank top, grabbing my keys before I flew out the door. I wouldn't contact Naomi until I was completely sure my heart wasn't tied to someone else.

The only way I could that was to deal with the problem head on.

I got in my car and reeved the engine, the tires screeching against the gravel as I raced out the driveway. I could only hope that Bella was up this early.

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Bella's POV.

Last night had been horrid. Not only was I forced to go out to a club with my two high school friends Jessica and Angela, I was also forced, and when I say forced I really mean that, into a dress and high heels.

Did you hear that? Me….Bella Swan in heels. I'm still surprised that I didn't visit the ER because I had broken my ankle. But that part of my night I could handle, I mean I was a young woman, so having to dress up once in a while was all a part of the gig.

What I couldn't handle was the fact that my sun, my best friend, my warmth had to told me to leave him alone and that he was trying to move on without me in his life.

That hurt like hell.

While I couldn't blame Jacob for feeling the way that he did, I mean I practically stepped on his heart when I just up and left two years ago with my vampire family, I would I have never guessed he would say something like that to me.

But that wasn't the worst part. Jake was still in love with me. Not the, I love you your my best friend kind of love, it was the I want to spend forever with you kind of love.

I wanted to kick myself.

I should have known that two years couldn't have fixed the feelings Jacob had for me, they ran far too deep for that and I should have just stayed where I was at and let him be.

But I was selfish, and I wanted _needed _my best friend in my life. I didn't care that my fiancé and my best friend didn't exactly get along; I refused to live without them both.

I wanted to come back and set things right with Jake_, _I just wasn't expecting him to tell me to kick rocks.

I was staying with my dad, Charlie for the next few days while I cleared away some things here in Forks before I went back to school up in Alaska. I had about two more years left in school and then me and Edward were going to start planning our wedding. While I loved him with my entire soul, the whole marriage thing still scared the hell out of me. I was never big on the whole ceremonial commitment showcase thing, but it was something Edward wanted to do, he was very big on tradition.

I was willing to do that for him, but didn't want to get married without Jake. I wanted him to be there for me at one of the most important days of my life. I needed him to be there.

So I didn't care if Jake told me to leave him alone, I was going to set things right with us and if I had to stoop down to stalking I would do it, just as long as we became friends again.

I was just getting out the shower when I heard the phone ring. I ran downstairs, tripped over the last two and picked it up before it slipped from my damp fingers. I was cursing a bit when I brought it back to my ear.

"Did I catch you at a bad time Bells"?

My breath caught at the sound of Jake's voice and I was left momentarily speechless.

"Um, no I was just getting cleaned up". I stuttered, silently cursing myself for sounding like an idiot.

"Oh ok".

There was silence between us for a few seconds that felt really awkward and it made my heart sink. Our conversations before always flowed so effortless and easy and even when there was silence, it was comfortable.

So much as changed.

Jake cleared his throat and I heard the rumble of an engine in the background.

"Look Bella, I just wanted to know if you were up because I think we should talk".

My heart beat picked up and I twirled the phone cord between my fingers. This could be the opportunity that I need to make my peace with him.

"Yeah I'm up; you can come by if you want". I offered, hoping with everything that I had that he would say yes.

I got my wish.

"Great, I'll be there in five minutes". Jake said quickly before the line went dead.

I stared at the phone before I absently placed it back in the holder, a small smile on my face. I was going to spend time with Jake, my sun, my warmth, my everything. I let out a little squeal of happiness before I realized I was still in my towel.

I raced back up to my room and tried to throw together a decent looking outfit. I know Jacob wouldn't really care what I was in, but I wanted to look nice.

Jacob wasn't just my best friend; he was also a guy, a very handsome guy.

A girl has to look her best or at least attempt too.

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Jacob's POV

I pulled up in front of Bella's house and cut the engine but didn't get out. My heart had been going a million miles per hour and had yet to slow down. I was nervous to be here to be honest. Last night was an effort in itself just to be that close. I couldn't help it if my body reacted to the way Bella made me feel.

And that kind of made me feel like a complete loser.

I was in love, deeply in love, with a woman that made me feel so alive, yet I was still reacting to the way Bella made me feel.

I had some serious issues.

I finally got some balls and got out my car, walking at a normal human speed up her front steps. I knocked on the door and leaned against the porch railing, listening and smiling a little as Bella fumbled with the locks. Then the door was swung open.

She looked cute, wearing a dark green sweater and some black yoga pants. Her hair was thick and wavy and was thrown in a ponytail. Her cheeks were a soft rosy color and I could tell she must have just gotten out of the shower. Bella was still as beautiful as I remembered her, but I couldn't help but think to myself that I liked her hair to be a little bit darker, ebony almost and for her skin to be a dark mocha color.

I shook my head. I was bugging.

"Hey Jake". Bella greeted softly and I smiled.

"Hey Bells". I mimicked and we stood once again in silence.

Bella coughed and moved back a bit.

"Why don't you come in and then we can talk".

I gave her a smile and moved passed her into the house.

I looked around and was hit hard with childhood memories. I had spent a lot of time here with Bella and with Charlie. But not anymore.

I heard Bella fumbling in the kitchen and I followed the noise. I leaned against the doorway and watched her. She was making something over the oven and I noticed that her hands were shaking as she took two cups from the cabinet above her. She was nervous and I could completely understand why. We haven't been alone with each other in over two years.

"What are you making"?

I thought I had said that quietly enough but I guess I didn't. Bella jumped at my voice and the cups she was holding flew from her hands. I was at her side in an instant, catching the cups before they fell to the floor. I placed them back on the counter and leaned up against it.

"Nervous are we"?

Bella laughed and stopped what she was doing on the stove and mimicked me, placing her back on the marble counter.

"What happened to us Jake"? "We never acted like this around each other".

I sighed and nodded, agreeing with her statement.

"People grow up Bells, things change".

Bella leaned her head against my shoulder and I had to smile about how familiar it felt.

"Sometimes I wish things could have been different". She said then, and I looked down at her.

"What do you mean"? I asked, curious to what she was going to say.

Bella lifted her head off my shoulder to look at me, her eyes shining with something I couldn't decipher.

"Remember that night, we were standing right here and you were about to kiss me"? "I just wonder what could have been if I had just leaned forward".

My mind went blank and my heart once again sped up and beat erratically in my chest. What the hell was she applying?

Without thinking, I moved closer and to my complete surprise, or horror, Bella didn't move away, she actually grabbed me the bottom of my tank top and I could have sworn she pulled me closer. I lowered my head and I saw her eyes fluttered closed. My lips were just touching hers though when my brain finally woke up.

What the fuck was I doing?

I moved away and simultaneously placed my hands on Bella's arms and moved her back. Her eyes popped open and stared at me in confusion.

I had to get out of here.

"I'm sorry Bells, I can't do this".

I moved away from her and avoided her eyes; I couldn't stand looking at the hurt that was there.

"Don't go Jake". She said quietly and I shook my head. This was not a healthy situation to be in right now.

"I have too".

I took one more look at Bella before I bolted out the door. I was being a punk but I couldn't wrap my head around what almost happened in there.

I had almost kissed Bella. And she was going to let me.

Naomi was completely right; my heart was torn in two different directions. I needed to man up and get this shit together before everyone involved got hurt.

And I had to do it soon.

* * *

It was late, but I didn't care. I just needed to hear her voice. I know she told me not to contact her until I was sure of my decision, but I needed my stability right now.

I dialed the number and it rung twice before it was answered.

"Hello"?

I closed my eyes at the beautiful sound and allowed it to seep through me and soothe me.

"Hey sweetheart". I said and my voice cracked. It had been a trying day and I was emotionally drained.

I could hear the smile in Naomi's voice when she answered.

"Hey yourself, I've missed you".

I couldn't contain the grin that spread across my face. She still missed me.

"I've missed you too, I just wanted to hear your voice, this is hard for me honey".

I heard her sigh and it was silence for a minute.

"I know it is Jake and I'm sorry I'm making it that much worse, I just want you to be able to find out what is best for you"". "I didn't want to be a distraction".

I laughed quietly but I understood. She wanted to give me my space. I appreciated it.

"Believe me babe, you are NOT a distraction for me, but I understand". "Is everything ok"?

Naomi laughed and I could see her shaking her head over the phone.

"Yeah everything is good; Embry and Quil just left not too long ago, those two are a pair indeed".

I laughed, agreeing with her complete. Then it got quiet again.

"Jake"?

"Huh"?

Naomi was silent for a quick second before she took a deep breath and spoke.

"I love you".

My heart stopped and I smiled. This woman was everything I have ever wanted. I just couldn't figure out why I was still so torn.

"I love you too sweetheart, a hell of a lot". "Now go get some rest".

Naomi giggled and I wanted to hear it again.

"Okay, goodnight Jacob".

"Goodnight Naomi, sleep tight".

We hung up and I felt great, almost as if I didn't have a worry in the world. Today scared me though. I had convinced myself that i was over Bella and any feelings that I once had for her were gone.

Guess who was wrong once again. I didn't know what to do.

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A/N: Please don't be too mad at Jake. He is still dealing with his feelings and unfortunately they don't just go away. Hope you enjoyed the different POV and I did my best, I'm not a big Bella fan so writing her POV was a bit difficult. I have done pretty well for myself, dishing out two chapters over the weekend, you guys should be proud. I will stay in Jacob's POV for the next chapter. As always please review, it is always welcomed and I love to see what you all are thinking. *Smooches* MN


	30. Destiny

_**A/N: Okay here I am again; the motivational pull is still in effect. I have to say I am very proud of myself because writer's block has not been an issue as of late. Thanks for the reviews and I am sooooooo psyched that you all love the story as much as I do. This chapter might be a little bit lengthy, give or take how things pan out in my head.**_

_**Something is going to happen that I am sure a whole hell of a lot of people has been waiting for since the beginning on this story.**_

_**But as it goes, it will not make life all sunshine and rainbows.**_

_**So hold on for the emotional, drama filled ride…with that said on to Chapter 30. **_

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*Destiny*

_**Jacob's POV.**_

Maybe if I begged and pleaded enough to whomever it was that looked down on us from the heavens, they might actually be so kind as to grant me my wish and have the world open up and swallow me whole.

I felt like complete shit.

My life was shit. My world was shit. Everything was shit.

I was an emotional wreck, torn in a million and sixty-seven pieces. Could be a bit more, but who the hell was counting?

I hadn't slept in about three days and I was only human for enough time to wash and eat and then I was back with my wolf, running almost as far as the Canadian border.

Even today as I sat staring blankly at one of my cars, I didn't have the urge to do a damn thing, which was bad because that just gave me time to think, and I didn't want to think about a fucking thing right now.

Note the reason why I was always with my wolf. No thinking involved just smells, sounds and speed.

That was everything I needed right at this point.

"Okay Dude, if you don't get up right now and go see that girl, I'm going to drag your sorry ass there myself, you look like death warmed over five times".

I hadn't even heard Embry come into the bay, I was too busy wallowing in self absorbed pity. I heard what he said, but that didn't mean I was going to listen to him.

The fact was this, for the last few days I had this overwhelming urge to go see Naomi. Every chance I had, all I could think about was how I wanted to be near her and hear her voice, and just feel her against me.

But no matter how strong that urge was, I wouldn't _couldn't _allow myself to do that to her. I knew what I was feeling; I knew that I couldn't see Naomi while I was still having conflicting feelings about Bella, no matter how much I wanted to.

So I left it alone, I left them both alone.

I didn't talk to Bella because of the whole thing that had almost happened at her house that day and I couldn't talk to Naomi because if I heard her voice there was nothing on this earth that was going to stop me from seeing her.

I was a miserable ass bastard.

Without looking at Embry, I stood to my feet and absent-mindedly walked over to one of my cars, not really seeing what I was looking at.

"You know why I can't Em, I'm just going to end up hurting her and I don't want to do that".

I heard Embry sigh but never turned around to look at him.

"I swear bro; sometimes you can be so clueless it's almost comical".

I wanted to be angry, but because I was so emotionally drained from the past few days, all I felt was numbness.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it right now ok"?

I half heartedly picked up an old rag and began wiping down one of my babies.

"Well fortunately for you, we DO want to talk about it". Quil's voice boomed out of nowhere. Where the hell did he come from?

What was this some kind of intervention? I really wasn't in the mood.

"For real, I'm not up to the one-on-one gossip girl session right now".

I thought maybe if I looked pitiful enough, they would get the hint and leave me the fuck alone.

Yeah, no such luck. My friends were assholes.

"You know what you have to do to fix this and yet you're still being a bitch about it". Embry said, coming to stand in front me.

What the hell was up with him and getting up in my shit lately? I mean he was my friend and I considered him a brother, but did he not know that I would and could rip his fucking head off if I wanted to?

Was this what happened when you imprint? Did that also make you grow some balls?

I guess that could explain why Embry had been working my last nerves these past few days.

I stood to my feet, looking Embry right in the face. We both stood at the same height but I was a couple inches taller

"What the hell did you just call me"? I asked quietly, already feeling the heat radiate up my back before I even had a chance to control it.

Something else I had to deal with it recently, the anger. Everything made me angry and it was taking everything I had everyday to not erupt into an oversized fur ball every few seconds.

Now do you see why I would rather be a wolf most of my days than a human being?

Embry never backed down from my angry gaze and the Alpha in me almost welcomed the challenge.

"I called you a bitch".

The heat I was feeling multiplied and without warning I shoved Embry back, pushing him so hard that he flew into the wall behind him. He recovered quickly and rushed towards me, and I prepared myself for a fight, I welcomed it.

"Whoa, whoa, fellas lets take it easy".

Quil jumped in between us and I half way wanted to push him out the way too.

Embry reached around him and pushed me back hard in my shoulder and I heard it pop out the socket. The pain didn't even register to me because all I saw was red.

Quil put his back to me and turned towards Embry, using his arms to keep a little bit of distant between us. I guess he figured Em was the more dangerous of the two of us at the moment.

If he only knew.

"Dude just fucking man up and take control of this situation". Embry shouted at me and I laughed.

This guy must have really wanted a death wish because he was just feeding the flames right now.

"This "situation"! I emphasized. "Is none of your damn business". I yelled back and tried to get around Quil, but the little bastard wouldn't move.

Embry pushed Quil's arms away from his body and stood glaring at me. I honestly have never seen my friend as mad as he was now.

"It's my business when I have to look at that girl's face every day and see the pain there and know that my best friend is the reason for it because he's being a self-absorbed selfish asshole".

That made me stop and I instantly felt like an idiot.

Of course Embry would see Naomi on a consistent basis because he was imprinted to her sister, of course she would confined in him about how she was feeling because he was her friend and she couldn't talk to me because I was routinely dodging her phone calls.

Embry was right. I was a bitch.

I stopped. The anger I had just felt a second ago disappearing like that. My shoulders slumped and I gripped my hair in frustration, wanting to pull it straight from my scalp.

"What the fuck should I do then"? "Tell me what to do"?

I was shouting now because I felt like I was literally going crazy.

Embry shook his head at me, in a way that clearly said he thought I was hopeless.

"Go See Bella"

I laughed and let out a frustrated scream. After all that shit, this was the only thing he had to say to me? What type of fucking answer was that?

"Are you kidding me dude"? "That's your answer, go see Bella"? "You realize she is the reason why all these shit is happening right now, don't you"?

Embry laughed.

"You made her an issue so now she is one".

I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it. Once again Embry made a good point.

Bastard.

"Look, you have to clean up what's left over from the past". "Allow yourself to move on dude, you've already proved that you can and you did".

Embry then gave me a small smile.

"Let yourself be happy".

I sighed and really allowed his words to sink in. I did deserve to give myself a chance to be happy. Why should I let Bella disrupt all that?

I smiled sheepishly at Em and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Sorry about throwing you into the wall".

Embry waved me off before he inclined his head towards my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it man, sorry about your shoulder".

I shrugged, effortlessly popping my shoulder back in place.

Quil snorted and I had almost forgotten he was here.

"Glad you all got this settled, didn't want to have to kick no ass".

I laughed and so did Em. He walked over to me and gave me a soft pat on my back.

"Don't forget, we're here for you, no matter how fucking stubborn you get".

Quil nodded, giving me a slight push.

"Indeed".

I smiled. No matter how much these knuckle heads got on my last damn nerves, I knew that they would always have my back, no matter much of a dick head I was being.

I shoved Quil back, which caused him to collide with Embry and then that resulted in a ten minute mini shuffle.

Just like old times.

When that was over, after of course both me and Em hitting Quil over the head, Embry gave me a pointed look.

"Handle your shit".

I nodded, letting him know that I understood.

But just because I got what he was saying, didn't mean I was actually going to do it.

Embry had it one hundred percent right though. I was indeed a bitch.

* * *

I felt like I was going to jump out of my fucking skin.

It was my dad's birthday and Sue and Old Quil had put together a huge bonfire in honor of him. The whole pack and half the reservation was here.

But that wasn't my issue.

Embry was a part of the pack; he was imprinted to Camille who was of course going to be joining in on the festivities. Since Camille was coming, then Naomi would come too, and not just because of me but also because my dad adored her and she was close friends with Quil and Embry. It would be the first time I had seen her since our night together.

But that again was the least of my worries.

Charlie was my dad's best friend. Charlie was Bella's dad. If Charlie was coming so would Bella. Naomi and Bella would be here together at the same.

Do you see now why I was sweating bullets?

I didn't know how I would handle those two being here, but I knew whatever I did I had to handle it like how I was supposed to.

I had thought long and hard about what I was going to do after my mini fight with Embry, and I had somewhat come to a conclusion about my decision.

Now all I needed to do was to go through with it.

I had been wasting time, stalling around in the kitchen, trying with everything I had to get up enough courage to go ahead and do what I needed to do when my Dad wheeled himself in.

"Son"? He questioned and because I was already so wound up from nerves I jumped when I heard his voice.

I was really acting like a scared little girl.

"Are you that nervous about this"?

It was no use in lying and saying that I wasn't because anyone could feel the anxious energy falling off of me in huge waves.

"How do I know if I will be making the right decision? I asked.

My Dad rolled in front of me with a small smile on his face.

"Have you known what you have wanted to do about this"?

I thought about that for a minute and knew that deep down; I had made my decision a long time ago.

"Yeah I have". I said quietly.

My Dad gave me a pat on my back.

"Then the first decision is usually the best one".

And with that, my dad wheeled himself out the door and presumably down to the beach. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. I gave myself a mental slap and internal pep talk.

I had just started walking out when someone else came in.

I found myself standing face to face with Bella

_SHIT!_

She was carrying a tray of something that smelled fucking delicious but we just stood there, staring at each other like idiots.

I was the first to recover and put my arms out towards her.

"Um, let me take that".

Bella put the dish in my arms but still hadn't uttered a sound and I turned around and placed her dish on the counter. That just gave me an excuse to not look at her.

"How have you been Jake"? Bella asked then quietly.

I sighed and leaned against the counter, but didn't turn around.

"To be completely honest Bells, I've been feeling like shit lately".

I heard Bella take in a little breath before she came to stand behind me, but I still refused to turn around.

"Jake, I'm sorry about what happened in the kitchen that day; I don't know what came over me".

After hearing that, I turned around to face her and when I tried to look at her face, Bella was avoiding eye contact.

"Yes you do" "You were finally listening to that little voice that was telling you this was going to be okay".

Bella finally met my eye and when she didn't deny what I had said, I knew I was right. I could still read her like a book.

I played with some of her hair with a small smile on my face.

"You don't know how happy I am that you're finally going with what feels right, what feels natural".

I shook my head and moved past her to lean on one of the kitchen chairs. "But it's too late Bella, way too late".

I heard her shuffle behind me and when I turned around to her, she had tears in her eyes. "I'm always making things difficult for you Jacob". "You're my best friend and I just keep making everything worse".

She sniffed and I buckled. I reached her in half a step and pulled her into my arms.

"God Bells, it's not you, I'm just a fucked up complicated individual".

With her face buried in my chest, I heard her laugh.

"You are not". She mumbled. "You're a good person and I don't deserve you".

I pulled back and forced Bella to look at me, her face was splotchy and her eyes were wet.

But she was still beautiful.

"We couldn't live without each other if we tried, and believe me honey I have been trying".

She laughed weakly and looked away but I grabbed her chin and kept my eyes locked with hers.

"I love you Bella and nothing will ever change that, but I am no longer in love with you, I have finally found that one person who completes me and I complete her". "She is it for me".

And just like that it was like a huge boulder was lifted from my shoulders and I felt free.

Bella smiled and wiped her eyes dry, placing a hand on the side of my face, caressing my cheek softly.

"That's all I have ever wanted for you Jake, you deserve to be happy".

I gave her a smile back, wrapping an arm around her waist and bringing her closer.

"I am lucky to have her".

Without even giving it a second thought, I leaned forward and softly placed my lips on hers and Bella didn't push me away. It wasn't a passionate kiss whatsoever; and unlike before when I had felt sparks, I felt absolutely nothing now, it was more like a final goodbye to our little soap opera drama, an ending to a beginning. An acceptance between two friends.

We pulled away after about five seconds and I laid my head on Bella's and we smiled at each other, laughing a little bit in between. We were so wrapped up in our moment we hadn't even heard the door open.

"So I guess you have made you decision".

Bella turned her head first and began backing away from me and I followed, turning my head and meeting the brown sugar colored eyes of the woman I loved.

Everything around me stopped and I didn't see anything, but her. My whole being was drawn to her and she was the only thing that was holding me here. I was a thirsty man being led towards water for the first time in years.

Finally it had happened.

I moved away from Bella slowly, the overwhelming pull I felt towards Naomi moving me in her direction with my consent.

But instead of her moving towards me, like I had wanted, she backed away from me and my heart sunk.

Naomi had tears swimming in her eyes and all I wanted was to make them go away.

"Don't Jacob". She said quietly and I stopped, not because I wanted too but because _she _told me too.

I shook my head, not completely understanding why she didn't want me near her. But then the haze around my brain began to clear and I was finally able to put two and two together. I realized then.

Naomi had seen me kissing Bella. I could have smacked myself.

"Honey, it's not what you're thinking".

Even as I said this, she was backing away from me, the tears now running steadily down her cheeks.

"Just don't Jacob, I understand, you choose her".

She burst back through the door and without thinking, I followed her.

I caught up to Naomi easily and I grabbed her by the arm, turning her around swiftly to face me. She struggled with me, refusing to look me in my face.

"Naomi, honey please".

She broke free from my hold and slapped me. It hurt like hell, in more ways than one.

"Just leave me alone Jake". Naomi yelled, her eyes filled with so much hurt and betrayal.

By now the whole beach had stopped and was looking our way. But I didn't care, all I saw was Naomi and I watched as she walked away from me.

This was the way it went with my life.

You would think by now I would have gotten use this shit. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was easy when it came to me.

I finally, after what felt like ages, found that one person who was made for me and loved me just as I loved them.

I had imprinted on the woman that I loved with everything that I had. And my imprint had refused me.

I thought I had felt the pain of a broken heart before, but I was wrong.

Right now, I felt like I was dying.

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A/N: Please review loves. *Smooches*


	31. Determined

_**A/N: Hello good people! You guys are flipping awesome! Almost 2,000 hits, you all are amazing! I know it might not be a lot to some people but that means the world to me. So happy that everyone is enjoying the story. Okay enough gushing….onward to Chapter 31. Things are never easy for our favorite werewolf. But neither will it be for our feisty little female…..Enjoy!**_

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*Determined*

_**Jacob's POV**_

I couldn't help it. When she ran away from me, I followed, and I hated to think that it was because of the imprint. I knew that I ran after her because I fucking wanted too, not because of some supernatural bullshit.

Naomi was fast, I would give her that, but nothing _absolutely nothing_ was going to keep me from catching up to her. I couldn't let her leave like this without knowing everything.

I caught her arm in my hand and she snatched it away from me before I had a chance to get a good grip. The expression on her face was filled with so much pain and betrayal, that it killed me. Literally fucking buckled my knees and constricted my airways so much that I couldn't even breathe. It took me everything I had not to collapse to the ground. I gritted my teeth and tried to fight it back, but the longer she stood there and looked at me with that pained expression, the harder it was. Naomi was hurting and it was because of me.

"What part of leave me alone Jacob don't you understand"? She yelled, and I could tell that she was trying to hold back her tears.

I could feel everything that she was feeling. The pain, the sadness, I knew that she was scared, and I could feel that she was angry. But she was holding it all back. Her pride was the thing that was holding her together.

I shook my head.

"I can't honey". I said before I could stop myself. This fucking imprint was messing with my head.

Naomi laughed and it was bitter and hard, and it didn't suit her at all.

"Oh so what? Did you come here to throw more salt into my wounds? I told you I get it, you choose her".

I dared a step towards her and she moved away from me just as I expected.

"Honey, you don't get it at all".

Naomi glared at me with so much anger that it consumed everything around me. Her eyes got lighter and a small growl escaped her throat.

"I don't get it? I understand everything! I know that you used me until your precious Bella came back into your life. I was just something to play with to pass the time. Leah was right; I was just another girl that looked good to you".

I ran a hand through my hair, wanting to pull it out. I just wanted her to understand. I needed her to understand.

"Sweetheart please just listen to me".

Naomi growled again and her small frame shook, so violently that she had to bend over and hold her stomach.

"Don't you fucking call me that". She snarled and then nothing but vicious growls and grunts came from her.

Then where Naomi once stood on two legs, was a pure white wolf growling softly at me. I stood there, completely hypnotized by her. Even now, while she was her wolf, I never thought she could become more beautiful. I moved forward and Naomi snarled and crouched down low.

"Please just give me a chance to explain Naomi".

She wasn't having it, and before I could react she launched herself at me, pushing me backward with her weight and landing roughly on my chest. She snapped at my face and I didn't move. I could vaguely feel the heat radiate up my spine, softly telling me to defend myself, but the imprint wouldn't allow me to hurt her, so I just laid there, and if she took off a chunk of my face then it was the least I deserved.

"Naomi, Stop this now".

Her vicious snapping stopped and her head turned towards the voice.

"I know you're hurt, but I'm positive that hurting Jacob would only make your pain more unbearable".

I wanted to yell at whoever it was talking. I wanted to yell that I deserved everything that I got because I was an idiot.

Naomi moved off of me and slowly I stood back to me feet. I looked behind us and I saw her brother standing not too far from us. Aaron was looking at her with concern but I knew he had given her an order, an alpha order.

I turned my attention back to Naomi and she refused to look at me. But I felt everything she was feeling and the force of it all made me sick. I wanted to fix it, but I didn't know how and she wouldn't let me. Aaron said something to Naomi in their native language and without looking at me; she turned away and bounded off into the trees. The pull of the imprint made my body jerk involuntarily in her direction but I forced it back and stood defiantly still on my feet. This shit was not going to take away my free will. I would do things on my own terms and not because something forced me too.

Aaron stood beside for a minute and placed a hand on my shoulder, turning briefly giving me a small nod.

"Give her some time". He said and I nodded, before he took off after her.

Once I was alone, the anger took over me, and I shook violently, locking my jaw with the effort it took not to phase. My fist flew out and connected with a nearby tree, snapping it in half with a loud crack. My knuckles were bleeding and it hurt like hell, but I welcomed the pain. Anything to dim the feelings that I had sense coming from Naomi.

"Jake"? A soft voice called to me and I snapped my head in that direction.

Bella stood there, her eyes concerned as she took in my rapidly bleeding hand. Her presence just angered me more and I let off a frustrated scream that made her jump.

"This is all your fault"! I shouted. "Why couldn't you just fucking stay away from me"?

Then it all became too much, and all the emotions I had tried so hard to hold back, hit me full force and I fell to my knees, holding my head in my hands. I heard the small footsteps before I felt Bella's arms around me and I gripped her tightly, needing something to hold onto to keep from falling apart completely.

"I'm your friend Jake, and I'm here for you no matter what". Bella whispered and I sunk down and laid my head in her lap.

My fingers gripped her thighs and I felt her fingers running softly through my hair. The farther away Naomi became the more pain I began to feel. She was rejecting me with her entire being and it crushed me. There was only one the thing I could do now, to avoid any more pain and to allow Naomi the choice to choose who ever she wanted.

I needed to reject the imprint.

I wasn't going to tie Naomi down to just one choice. If she didn't want to be bothered with me, I wanted to give her a chance to make that decision on her own.

If anybody could do it, I knew I could.

* * *

It had been three weeks since I had seen or heard from Naomi, and although the excruciating pain I had felt before was now only a dull ache, it wasn't entirely gone but I had learned to somewhat ignored it. I tried to keep myself busy all day and most of the night to take my mind off of it. I stayed at the shop and took on jobs that sometimes kept me there for long hours and then when I wasn't working I was patrolling, most of the time by myself.

Why by myself, do you ask?

Well for one, while the pain of being away from my imprint had lessened, my anger did not. In fact, it seemed like it had reached a whole new level of fury that had me bursting into a huge mountain of fur on a regular basis. Everything pissed me off, whatever it was, didn't matter. If you sneezed near me without saying an "excuse me" I was trembling uncontrollably.

Secondly, I couldn't take the consistent thoughts that kept crowding my brain when I was with my brothers. Sure they all tried their best to keep what they were thinking locked down around me, but no one was really good at it and I was sick and tired of them all thinking I was completely out of my mind.

I didn't need them to tell me that, I already knew it.

I was Jacob Black; I wasn't satisfied if I didn't cause myself physical and emotional pain, whether it be pinning after and falling in love with someone who hadn't loved me in the same since, or trying to deny my soul mate, someone I had been hoping to find for two years now.

Yuppers! Glutton for punishment should be my middle name.

But I had stayed true to what I planned. Naomi hadn't gotten in touch with me and I gave her the space she required. Not for myself, but for her. I was hoping that she would soon forget about me and move on because I was a complete idiot and she deserved more than anything not to be tied down to someone like me.

Yeah I know what you're thinking. There was no way I would be able to break an imprint, it was unbreakable, something that lived on until the imprinter or imprintee passed away.

Like I said before, if anyone could do it, I would.

So I worked like a madman and isolated myself in solitude, trying to ignore the constant pull, my wolf urging me to go running off into the direction he knew I was trying to avoid.

_Shut the hell up asshole._

He was always pushing me and sometimes it almost became too much. It was many times where the urge became so strong that I literally almost bit my fucking tongue off, gritting my teeth and locking down my body just so I wouldn't launch myself out my bedroom window. Mr. Wolf really was an asshole.

I really just wanted him to leave me the fuck alone_._

But the jerk off never did, how could he? He was a part of me, so much so now that I barely felt connected with whatever humanity I had left. Wolfie was constantly in my sub-conscience, saying little smart shit that always got me going. And after I nearly torn myself in two, trying with everything that I had not to phase, he would mock me and laugh, flashing images of Naomi through my mind, so I can be tortured way into the night.

The Night.

This was when I had the most trouble. My wolf stayed quiet, because he knew he didn't need to do anything to help with my torture. As much as I tried to ignore my connection with Naomi, sometimes I just couldn't. I could feel her more strongly at night, when she was the most calm. Sometimes she would be happy, and I knew those were the moments she was with _her_ wolf.

That would make me smile.

Then I would feel when she was lonely, the despair running through me like water. These were the times I nearly lost my restraint, wanting so badly to just hold her in my arms and let her know just how much she wasn't alone.

I would feel when she angry, which was often and It could probably be the reason why I was always so riled up. I knew the anger was towards me. Naomi was a firecracker and I knew that she had expected me to call by now and the fact that I hadn't, pissed her off beyond belief.

As much I wanted too, as much as I craved to hear her voice, I left her alone. This of course made me completely and utterly fucking miserable.

Especially today, this happened to be a Sunday. That meant our shop was closed, so I didn't have work to drown myself in. Sure I could go to the shop anytime I wanted to, but there was really no point, because everything was damn near already completed.

I could always go on patrol. I gave Leah and the guys a few hours off so I knew I wouldn't be bothered. But I was so damn exhausted, I didn't think I could phase even if Edward had strolled casually across the treaty line and told me that I would always be second best.

Yeah, okay, maybe then I could.

So I just settled with sitting alone on the beach, drowning in my thoughts and fighting the pull of the invisible rope that was tied around my middle. Every few minutes it would give a tug, some harder than others, but I never moved. If I wanted to get up and see Naomi it would be because I _wanted_ too and not because some fucked up, supernatural spirit forced it on me.

_Why don't you just stop trying to fight me and go see her?_

I growled, here he goes with this shit again. Mr. Wolf always knew when I was at my weakest and he would make it his mission to try and break me down, trying with all his might to get me to give in.

Why couldn't he just leave me the fuck alone? It was already hard enough without him always adding his two cents.

_Exactly! It wouldn't be hard if you would just accept that this is what you are and she is the one I picked for you._

I grabbed my head and the growl that came from me was unrecognizable. This asshole never let the fuck up. Of course I was completely sure now that I was or better yet had lost my mind, but I couldn't ignore him, no matter how hard I tried.

The wolf was who I was. He was me, and I was him.

I had hated imprinting, still did in some instances. I hated that it didn't give a person a chance to choose for themselves who they wanted to love, it forced them too. But ultimately the woman I had fallen in love with, the girl I loved with my whole heart, had become my imprint, my world, my everything.

But she had refused me and I didn't want her to be forced into making a decision just because she felt something was telling her to do so.

_She feels the same pull your feeling now. She's waiting for you and the more you make her wait, the angrier she's getting._

When he said shit like this, it made me want to take off in the direction of Naomi's home. Even if I wasn't imprinted to her, what man could resist going to see a woman that they knew was waiting for them to come and claim what was theirs?

Yeah, that's my point exactly. As a species, we just weren't that strong.

_So go see her then!_

I wanted him to shut the hell up. I really did, because the longer he kept bothering me, the more my walls began crumbling down. I threw my hands up in frustration and launched a medium sized rock out into the ocean in front of me.

"What the fuck do you want me to do"? I yelled and I'm pretty sure if there were people occupying this beach right now they would have left screaming by now.

"I knew you were psycho Jacob, but I didn't know the extent until right now".

Leah's voice shocked the hell out of me. I was so caught up with the tug of war battle inside me, that I hadn't even heard her come near. I turned towards her and was shocked at what I saw.

Leah looked…..dare I say it? Beautiful?

She had this glow that made her face light up and the smile she wore on her lips was genuine and sweet. Nothing compared to the permanent scowl that I could have sworn was going to be stuck to her face forever.

What the hell happened to her? I thought about it for a second and then….aww yeah that's right…..Leah had imprinted and she was happy.

My mood soured again almost instantly.

I flopped back down on the sand and my shoulders slumped. I was sold on the idea that everyone in the world was supposed to be happy instead of me.

Yeah I know I caused this pain all by my lonesome because I was a douche bag, but did I not say that I wouldn't know what to do with my day if I didn't cause myself some kind of Inner turmoil?

"If you're here to tell me how much of an idiot I'm being, then you can save it because I don't want to hear it right now". I said, with a lazy flick of my hand.

I heard Leah's footsteps as she came closer and then she sat down beside me and crossed her legs underneath her.

"Well luckily for you, my dear old Alpha, I never gave two shits about what you didn't want and I'm not about to start now".

I sighed. As much as I wanted to be annoyed with Leah right now, I knew no matter what I said or did she wasn't leaving until we worked through my shit and my fucked up way of handling things that personally pertained to me.

I cracked a smile. By now she had a Bachelor's Degree in the Jacobtology with a minor in psychotherapy.

Leah had seen me at my worst and I have seen her at rock bottom. We were a pair indeed.

"So when are you going to stop this Jake"? I heard her ask me, but I didn't turn in her direction.

"I'm not Leah. I'm giving her a choice".

I could feel her eyes gazing at me but I stared defiantly ahead. Leah sighed before she placed her hand on top of mind, and because I was so damn shocked by this rare show of affection my eyes snapped towards her. She smiled softly.

"You are her choice Jacob".

I groaned and stood to my feet. I didn't want to hear this right now. Leah came behind me and did something else that almost gave me a damn heart attack; she wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head against my back.

"You loved her even before the imprint and so did she. The bond doesn't change a thing, it just strengthens it".

I allowed her words to sink in and I couldn't help but smile. Somehow that made sense. I looked at Leah over my shoulder with a smirk on my face and gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

"When did you grow soft Leah"? I asked and she laughed.

"When I fell in love again". She said simply and let me go.

I turned around and looked at her. Leah was making her way back up the beach before she stopped and yelled over her shoulder.

"I'm going by there now Jake, so if you want to catch a ride you better come on".

And then she left me there, with my mouth hanging wide open. Leah had just offered to take me to the one thing I had tried to avoid for the last three weeks.

Naomi.

The pull I always felt came back to me full force and this time, instead of fighting it, I found myself embracing it.

I smiled.

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A/N: Sooo sorry for the long wait for an update. I actually had this chapter written a couple days ago but just found the time to post it. Hope you liked it and as always please review and hopefully next chapter will be up by the end of the weekend. *Smooches* MN


	32. Connection

_***Connection***_

_**Leah's POV**_

I have seen Jake at his worst, but his behavior as of late was just plain fucking dumb. I didn't get him at all. I knew he hated the whole idea of imprinting, shit at one point so did I, but when you imprinted on someone that you already loved, why would you try and fight that?

I was beginning to think that Jacob liked inflicting pain on his self.

But being the annoyingly persistent person that I was, I decided that I was no longer going to sit around and allow him to wallow. After seeing him go through what he did with Bella, I wasn't going to let that happen again with Naomi. No matter what my beef was with her in the beginning, I could over look those issues to help my Alpha get over himself.

I knew I talked a good game and put up a mean front, but I cared for Jake. He gave me the freedom that I needed when he walked away from Sam two years ago. I didn't want any of this. I was looked at as an abomination. Only the Quileute men had the blood of the wolf running through their veins, so when I turned I was looked at with questioning eyes. That I could live with; I really didn't give two shits about what other people thought about me. What I couldn't deal with was being ordered around by my ex-boyfriend and constantly being in his head hearing about the woman he left me for.

And people wondered why I was always so cranky.

But being with Jacob, I didn't have to worry about that at all. Not to say that his thoughts were always sunshine and rainbows, but it was something I could swallow and I understood where he was coming from and what he was feeling.

Before I became a wolf, I never knew the reason behind Sam's betrayal and departure. All I knew was that he suddenly left me for my cousin, someone I considered a sister. Then when I phased, I got the whole story, the true story. It didn't make it any easier, but I somewhat understood. Then it began to make me question what that meant for me. Was I a generic dead end? Did the spirits believe that I wasn't a good match to help with the next generation? I came to the conclusion that maybe, I wasn't going to be a good match for anyone.

Until I saw Aaron for the first time and to this day it still brings a smile to my face.

I would have never dreamed that I would finally find my other half, my soul mate but I did and only now could I fully understand what happened with Sam and Emily all those years ago.

Was I mad that Sam didn't try to fight it? Yeah I was, I was also mad that Emily didn't tell him that she could only be his friend, but what happens, happens.

I can admit I was completely fucking nervous about my imprint for the first few days. I didn't know a thing about him but his first name and it scared me to death that he could possibly refuse me; especially after learning he had such strong dislikes for our people.

But I had Jacob there to encourage me and give me a shoulder to lean on. I would forever be grateful for that. That's why I wouldn't let him sit around and slowly torture himself anymore. He was going to go and talk to Naomi even if I had to drag his hairy ass there myself.

I was trying hard as hell not to burst out laughing at the look on Jake's face as we drove down the tiny road to Naomi and Aaron's house in my Honda. He kept biting his lip and his fingers were doing a consistent tap dance on his knee. Poor guy was a complete nervous wreck. I wouldn't be who I was if I didn't think it was funny as hell.

"Chill out dude, you're beginning to make me nervous". I said, my eyes never leaving the road.

Jake gave a quiet chuckle and his fingers stilled.

"Sorry". He said quietly.

I looked at him briefly and gave him a smile.

"Stop worrying so much, she wants to see you".

Jake sighed and moved the seat back until it stopped so he could stretch out his long legs. Out the corner of my eyes I could see him run his hand over his face.

"How are things going with you and Aaron if you don't mind me asking"? He asked and I had to smile as he changed the subject. I knew when not to push.

"Things are going good, I finally told Aaron about the imprint and surprisingly he didn't run off screaming about it, he actually finds it pretty interesting".

Jacob smiled in my direction and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He laughed.

"Don't give me that look Lee".

This time I did roll my eyes and Jacob's booming laugh bounced around my small car.

"I told you it was going to be okay". He said quietly and gave me a soft pat on my thigh.

I smiled. I was never going to admit that he was right.

"So what are you going to do about Naomi"? I asked and the smile was quickly wiped from his face then.

"I don't know, what I did was stupid and it hurt her". He said, turning is head to look out the window.

I sighed but remained silent.

It didn't take us long to get to the house and pretty soon I was pulling up in the front yard. I could feel the nervous energy flowing off of Jake in thick waves as I put the car in park and cut the engine. I turned towards him.

"Okay look, I know you're nervous about this whole thing, but you really need to get over yourself. That girl loves you and yeah it hurt her to find you like she did, but the fact that you haven't even tried to reach out to her is hurting her more".

Jacob opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

"You are going to go in there and talk to her Jacob and lay everything out there in the open. You will one day be Chief of our people and you're my Alpha, it's about fucking time you start acting like one".

Before he could even utter a syllable, I opened my door and got out. I heard him follow behind me but I never looked back. My eyes were trained forward.

Aaron came out the front door and gave me a smile which made my heart skip and couldn't help but smile in return. When he reached me, he threw an arm around my shoulders and brought me close, placing a kiss on the top of my hair. I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath, taking him in. This was what I had been missing.

For a minute, I almost forgot Jake was with me until he cleared his throat and when I turned towards him he had a smug smirk on his face. I would have to tell him to erase what he just saw from his memory.

Jake moved his gaze from my face to Aaron's and gave him a nod in greeting. I felt Aaron do the same.

"Is she here"? Jake asked quietly and Aaron laughed.

"Yeah dude, she's around back, go help yourself".

Jacob gave him another quick nod before he walked, rather slowly, around the back of the house. I watched him go and shook my head.

"So did you have to drag him here"? Aaron asked me, a hint of amusement in his voice. I shook my head.

"No, surprisingly enough he came pretty easily started freaking out a bit the closer we got though".

Aaron gave another laugh and shook his head briefly before he looked back down at me. He softly moved a piece of hair from my face and gave me a blinding smile.

"Want to go somewhere"? He asked quietly and my insides bubbled with excitement.

"Sure let's go".

Aaron laughed and took my hand, pulling me down the steps. Now I had him all to myself.

_**

* * *

**_

Naomi's POV

I couldn't place it, I didn't even know where it came from all the time, but I was always feeling this constant urge to be near Jacob. I wanted to call him and hear his deep voice. I wanted to be wrapped in his arms and take in his scent.

But I haven't heard from him, and that pissed me off beyond belief.

So now no matter how much I wanted to see Jake, sometimes so much that it took everything I had not to go down to LaPush and knock down his door, I refused to call. I mean, it wasn't really my fault to begin with.

Whenever I would remember that night when I saw Jake kissing Bella, my heart would break all over again. But after I got over the sadness, I felt angry.

How could he do something like that to someone he said he loved? Was I really just something he needed to past the time with until Bella came back into his life? Whatever the reason behind that kiss was didn't matter, I wasn't going to just sit around and allow myself to be used.

That didn't mean though that I didn't miss the shit out of Jake. But I was, by no means, going to be the first one to reach out. If my sister taught me anything about guys, it was to let them contact you first, especially if the reason you got into a fight was his fault.

But with each passing day, I found that this got harder and harder to do.

Yeah, I was pissed like shit that Jacob had kissed Bella, but no matter how pissed off I was, I still loved him and all I wanted to know now was why. I tried to keep myself busy, working extra shifts at the bookstore and training late at night with Aaron, but nothing could keep my head clear.

Why hasn't he called me! That complete jerk!

There was always a constant stream of people in and out of our house now. Embry came by daily after he finished at the shop and him and Camille spent a lot of time outside on our front porch or snuggled up on the couch. Recently Leah had also graced us with her presence, and at first it was a little awkward between us because of the lingering animosity, but after a few days we were at least speaking to each other.

Mom couldn't have been more thrilled about us finally connecting with the other tribe and she welcomed the company with no problem and I couldn't help but to smile as she moved around our small kitchen happily, cooking away like she didn't have a care in the world. It was the first time since dad died that she was so content.

With so many happy people in and out of the house, it was too much to take. So I spent most of my time alone in our garage that Aaron had turned into our own little personal gym. This was where I could unwind and just let go.

The music from the radio was blaring loudly from the speakers and it fueled my energy. I had been going at the punching bag for about two hours now and my body was covered in sweat, even If I was only in a sports bar and shorts. But as the water dripped down my face and plastered the hair to my face, I was still going strong. Call me crazy, but I guess I figured if I could work out to the point of exhaustion, I could forget about my love life.

I heard the door open but I never turned around to see who it was. I figured it was either my brother or Embry coming in to fetch me for dinner. How wrong was I when the person spoke to me.

"Music's kind of loud, isn't it"?

My movements stopped instantly and my heartbeat quickened. The punching bag swung from side to side and I grabbed a hold of it, just so I wouldn't fall from the lack of feeling I had all of a sudden in my legs.

"What are you doing here Jacob"? I asked, my voice cracking a bit and I cleared my throat.

Even over the loud music, I heard him hesitate and my heart sunk. He didn't even know what to say to me. Before everything between us came so easily, so natural.

Before he had a chance to speak, I turned around but refused to meet his eyes. I leaned down and turned off the radio. I walked passed Jake and grabbed a towel, wiping my face off.

"I came here to talk to you honey". He said then and I flinched.

"Please don't call me that Jacob". I said softly, and for some reason I couldn't help the frown that came to my face.

I threw the towel back on the bench and stalked passed him, but he grabbed me roughly by the arm and pulled me to him.

"Stop being so fucking stubborn". Jake growled softly in my ear and for a moment I was left speechless.

"I'm not being stubborn Jacob, I'm being difficult".

I pushed away for him and made my way back over to my punching bag.

Jacob laughed and I didn't realize until now how much I missed the sound.

"What's the difference"? He asked.

I refused to answer him and kept my back turned. Instead, I picked up a pair of boxing gloves. I turned towards Jake and tossed them into his chest. He caught them with a confused look on his face.

"What are these for"?

I laughed quietly but remained quiet. I grabbed my own pair and slipped them on my hands. I brought my fist together twice and bounced on the ball of my feet.

"I'm not done with my workout and since your here, I thought you might as well be useful".

Jacob still had that confused dumb look on his face and he looked from me to the gloves in his hands and shook his head.

"You really want me to box with you? I could hurt you".

For a minute I saw red. I could very well take care of myself and I was pretty sure Jacob would have to catch me first before he could land a hit.

Jake tossed the gloves to the side and gave a soft laugh, walking towards me.

"Come on Na, let's just sit down and talk".

That was it. Before he could get any closer, I swung and my gloved fist connected with Jacob's jaw. A few curse words flew from his mouth as he quickly moved away from me. The adrenaline rushed through my veins and I smiled and continued to bounce on my feet.

"You've had plenty of time to try and talk to me Jacob; I don't really want to hear it now".

Jacob looked at me and I swear I saw fire dance in his eyes. He placed his jaw back in place before he bent down and picked up the gloves he had tossed down just a minute ago. There was a sexy little smirk playing on his lips.

"As you wish, my lady".

Without warning, he aimed a punch my way and I dodged. I laughed as he quickly followed with another one which I avoided again, followed swiftly by one of my own.

"So this is what you're rather be doing, than talk to me"? Jake asked, catching me with a quick jab to my side. I frowned.

"Oh! Now you want to talk to me? Tell me Jacob, where the hell was you at three weeks ago"?

My fist connected to his right shoulder and then again to his left one. Jake tried to retaliate but I was quick and his punches never connected as I danced out of his way. I couldn't really place it, but I knew Jake was faster than this and it kind of seemed like to me that he was holding back.

If it was possible, my anger flew through the roof.

"Goddamn it Jacob! Do something!"

I swung again and he knocked my arm away. I quickly followed with another and he did the same thing. I growled and snatched off my gloves quickly and threw them into his chest. Before he could even comprehend what I was doing, I attacked him. My fist beat against his chest roughly and I think for just a minute Jake was shocked.

But It didn't take him long to react.

He removed the gloves from his hands with his teeth quickly and grabbed both my wrist in just one of his hands and pushed me against the wall, pinning my own hands above my head. I struggled against him but he just pushed his body up against mine. I stopped for a second and Jake moved back a bit to look at me. I quickly raised my knee up in an attempt to hit him where it hurt but screamed when he grabbed my leg with his free hand and completely lifted me off the floor and forced me to wrap my legs around his waist to keep from falling.

I was trapped and I couldn't do a damn thing about it.

I tested his hold on my wrists and I couldn't move them an inch. I was getting frustrated and he was irking my nerves.

"Let me go Jacob". I growled quietly, trying with all my strength to get my wrist free. This man was strong.

Jacob stared at me for a long minute and the intensity of his gaze made me stop my struggling for a bit. He leaned forward and buried his face in my neck, not even caring that I was slick with perspiration.

"Please forgive me sweetheart. I'm so sorry for being an idiot and an asshole. I'm completely over the shit that was in my past and I'm entirely focused on my future right now. I want you, no, I _need_ you to be in my future honey, believe me when I tell you that I couldn't live without you".

I think I had stopped breathing for a second because when he moved back away from my neck and stared into my eyes, I had to inhale deeply. Jake let go of my wrist and slowly lowered me to my feet again, but I stayed right there, my body touching his. I couldn't move my feet, I didn't want to move. Jake gave me a soft smile and pushed some hair out of my face.

"I really didn't think I could feel this way about somebody else, but I do. I love you Naomi and you're it for me".

I was beyond words right now and my heart was going to jump right out my chest. Jacob grabbed my hand gently in his and placed a soft kiss on my palm. He sighed.

"There's something I need to tell you, honey". He started but I placed a finger to his lips to silence him.

"Say it again". I said quietly and Jake looked at me puzzled.

"Say what sweetheart"?

I smiled and moved closer to him, my hands grabbing the bottom of his shirt.

"Tell me again"

Jacob looked at me like he was trying to figure out what I wanted him to say and I was hoping with everything that he would figure it out.

Then a huge smile came across his face and he wrapped an arm around my waist.

"I love you".

I smiled and then without even thinking about it, I leaned up and pressed my lips to his, throwing my arms around his neck. Jake growled low in his throat and picked me up in his arms easily. I moved my lips from his down to his neck and I felt him stumble backwards a bit until he reached a bench and he nearly fell on it. Now sitting on top of him, I pressed my lips back his and was met with a vicious intensity that made it almost hard to be breathe. Jacob's hands gripped my back and I pushed myself as close to him as I could. I missed his touches, his kisses and his heat. I didn't ever want those to go away.

I pulled back a little and Jake continued placing soft, gentle kisses on my neck. I grabbed his chin and forced him to look at me. I could see exactly how it felt about me through those gorgeous eyes of his, and my heart swelled. I smiled.

"I love you too Jake".

_**

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A/N: Hope you all liked Leah's POV, gave everyone a chance to see a little bit more into what's going on with her. Sorry for the little wait, wanted to get this out before the end of the weekend but things didn't really work out like that. Hoped you liked the chapter and as always please review, it makes me giddy. *Smooches*

__Update 3/31/2011- Just wanted to let you all know that this chapter has been written and waiting to be posted for a week and a half now but fanfiction decided it didn't like me for a minute and refused to let me post this chapter. We made up now and more chapters are now up and waiting. :)


	33. Even still

_***Even Still***_

_**Jacob's POV**_

I love you.

Those three little words were enough to send my resolve into a crumbling mass of nothing-ness. I had heard them before and I knew that the person saying them really meant them, but now, just hearing those words sent my heart soaring.

I couldn't stop kissing her. I never wanted her out of my arms ever again and I was quite content on staying just the way we were right now. I placed soft, continuous kisses to her neck and was awarded with cute little giggles.

I loved the sounds that she made.

Naomi pulled back a bit from me and I pouted at the distance. She laughed and then her face grew serious.

"We have to talk Jake". She said quietly and I sighed.

I knew there were some things that we still needed to discuss, but I honestly didn't want to have to deal with anything other than her right now.

"I know sweetheart, we do. But I would really just love to stay right here, with you and listen to your heart beat".

I continued with my kisses and I heard her heart thump loudly in her chest and her breathing pick up. I smiled against her skin, feeling a little bit smug that I was the reason behind her reactions.

"Jake you're making it really difficult to think". Naomi said quietly, her fingers gripping the back of my neck.

I chuckled but never ceased with my attack. Naomi laughed again and pushed against my chest and my arms came up and wrapped tightly around her waist, trapping her against me.

"C'mon Jake stop for a second". She pleaded and I paid her absolutely no attention.

"Nope". I said, quietly.

Naomi sighed and then she became very still. I didn't know what she was doing until I felt her shift and then move her right leg to the other side of mine so that now she was straddling me.

Now that made me stop.

My kisses ceased on her neck and I moved my head so I could look at her. Naomi was biting her lip and staring right back at me, not breaking eyes contact. She placed one hand on my shoulder and ever so slightly moved her hips into mine, bringing her body up against my own. She leaned forward and buried her face into my neck, and then I felt her lips come gently into contact on my skin. Mr. Wolf came out automatically.

_HOLY SHIT!_

Naomi had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do to her in this very moment, in fact if she didn't stop in the next two point seven seconds; I was going to actually listen to Wolfie for the first in a long while.

My hands moved from her hips up to her arms and just before I could get a good grip on her, she moved away from me, laughing as I stared at her on the other side of the room with my mouth open.

"That was cruel honey". I said, not even bothering to hide as I adjusted myself in my sweatpants.

Naomi looked at my movements before her eyes find mine, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"I had to find some way for you to let me go".

She reached up and pulled the hair tie from her hair and allowed the midnight locks to fall around her shoulders. I instantly wanted to pull her back into my arms.

Naomi continued staring at me and the smile slowly slipped from her face again.

"We really have to talk Jacob".

I sighed and ran a hand over my face. It wasn't that I didn't want to have this conversation, it was just that I didn't want to ruin this moment that I had right now with her. Talking would mean that I would have to re-live that whole situation that happened with Bella. Talking also meant that I would have to tell Naomi about the imprint. That was definitely not a conversation that I wanted to have right this second. Did she deserve to know? Yeah she did. But did she have to know right now? That was the question which was up for discussion.

I stood to my feet and walked over to her, her back facing me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her back against me. We stayed like that for a few minutes, hearing each other breathe and not saying a word. I buried my nose in her hair and even though she had been working out, she still smelled of vanilla and coconut.

I would never ever get tired of her smell.

This fucking imprint shit was really messing with my brain. I haven't had one coherent thought that didn't center on Naomi. I needed to clear my head.

But the closer I was to her, the harder it was to do just that.

I pulled away and kissed her softly on the back of her neck and took in one more deep breath.

"I have to meet with the guys later on, but I swear tonight honey, I'm all yours".

Naomi turned around in my arms and wrapped her own around my waist, resting her head on my chest.

"I hope so, because I'm being honest when I say that I've missed you Jake".

I smiled and hugged her tighter, my nose buried in her hair, my eyes closed. This was becoming increasingly difficult the longer I stayed here.

I had to leave.

With great effort, I moved Naomi away from me, giving her a soft kiss before putting distance between us.

"I'll be back soon". I said quietly.

She didn't answer, but gave me a smile that made my heart swell in my chest and for a minute I almost made up my mind and _stayed._

But I forced my feet to move and when I turned my back on her, making my way back out the gym, it took every ounce of willpower that I owned to not go running back and wrapping that woman back in my arms.

In fact by the time I got outside and took in some fresh air, I was shaking so bad that I took three steps and I phased right there, my clothes ripping to sheds. The moment my paws hit the ground, I took off running. I knew where I wanted to go and I pushed myself faster, the trees around me blurring because of my speed.

I needed to speak with Sam.

There were a million and one things that I couldn't wrap my head around and I knew he was the one who could help me sought through my jumbled thoughts. My insides throbbed painfully but I ignored it. The farther away I got from Naomi, the stronger the pain was becoming but I needed to put some distance between her and myself. I couldn't think clearly about a damn thing except for her, those lips, that beautiful ebony hair, that skin color, those eyes, those hips, those legs.

I shook my head roughly and then promptly ran into a tree.

I staggered backwards a bit and reached up with my paw to rub at my nose. The shit hurt like hell and it was all because I wasn't thinking. I couldn't think.

I regained my stride and continued on my way, trying to block out anymore thoughts of my imprint. Impossible? Yeah I know, but I have always kind of gone against was supposed to be.

The quaint little two bedroom house that sat just a couple paces away from the beach came into view and I phased back quickly but forgot I had shredded my clothes back at Naomi's.

Shit!

I stayed hidden in the trees and made my way towards the back of Sam and Emily's house, hoping and praying that Sam was working out in his garage today.

As luck would have it (and me and it were not really that acquainted) Sam was bending over the hood of Emily's old Toyota and I could have jumped for joy. I whistled out to him and he stiffened and turned around quickly.

"Jacob? What are you doing here?"

I shrugged but nodded down at my naked body.

"I would love to answer that but could I get some pants first"?

Sam shook his head at me and laughed; dropping the wrench he was using and wiping his hands off.

"Wait here".

I nodded and watched him disappear in the house. It only took him a few minutes to come back out with a pair of old basketball shorts that he tossed my way. I caught them and pulled them on quickly, shoving my hands into the pockets as I followed Sam into his garage.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you on this fine day"? He asked, resuming his position from earlier and stuck his head back under the hood of the car.

I leaned against the side of it and sighed loudly.

"It's happened Sam".

His movements stilled instantly and he stood up a bit to look at me. I knew I didn't have to explain any further. He would know what I was talking about.

Sam closed the hood shut and leaned against it as well.

"Who is it"? He asked quietly.

I smiled and looked at him sideways.

"Naomi".

A grin broke out across Sam's face and he clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"Congrats man, that's good news".

He paused at the look on my face and his smile faded.

"Why don't you look happy about this"? He asked and I groaned, pushing myself off the car and running a hand through my hair.

"Because I'm not".

Sam folded his arms over his chest and stared at me as I paced back and forth.

"What's the problem"? He asked and for some reason, I just lost it.

"Why now Sam"? I asked, my voice raising a little. "I don't understand, after all those years of being in love with Bella, there was nothing, no spark, no gravity altering sensation, absolutely nothing".

I paused, taking in deep breaths and wanting very desperately to throw something.

"Then I meet Naomi and everything is cool. I couldn't have hoped to find someone who could give me what I have been looking for but she did and even then there was no imprint". "Then out of nowhere, all of a sudden, she becomes my world, my reason for existing, my reason for breathing and everything is just supposed to be ok"?

I was out of breath by the time I stopped talking and Sam was looking at me with that searching and contemplative gaze that he always had when he use to observe one of us. He was silent for another moment before he spoke to me.

"Just calm down Jacob". He said quietly and I paused.

What the hell did he just say? Did he just tell me to calm down?

"What the fuck do you mean calm down? Sam are you fucking kidding me? How can I calm down when I don't want any of this shit"?

Sam raised an eyebrow at me and it was his turn to be confused.

"What do you mean you don't want it? Jake, she is the one that you have been waiting for and the spirits saw her fit to become your soul mate and your other half".

I growled and grabbed a nearby hammer and tossed it across the room causing it to crash into a shelf on the other side with a loud bang.

"I do not want it Sam". I repeated. "I never wanted any of this, all this supernatural bullshit has completely taken over my life and my decisions. The one thing I ever wanted was to fall in love with someone because of my own free will and to have that person fall in love with me and know that it's because they have truly grown to love me for the person that I was and not because of some fucking werewolf jumbo".

I blew out a long breath and sat down on Sam's work bench and rested my head back against the wall. I felt like I was being torn in twenty different directions, but I needed to get this off my chest. Sam remained quiet and continued gazing at me with that same look. I leaned forward and rested my arms on my knees, placing my head in my hands.

"I want her to love me because she really, truly loves me, I don't want her to fall for me because she feels like something is telling her she _has _too. I just wanted the love of my life to be the one normal thing I had to come home too".

I heard Sam move closer and then he sat down beside me, but I kept my head in my hands. He took in a deep breath before he spoke to me.

"I can understand why this is confusing for you, but know that whatever the deal is behind you imprinting now was for a reason, and now you are connected to someone. This can be a gift Jake, stop trying to find something negative about finding that one person who was put on this earth just for you".

I groaned again and stood to my feet. Nobody was going to ever understand. I wasn't mad because I imprinted on Naomi, I was angry because the imprint took away my _choice_ and hers too. And no matter how hard I fought it or tried to deny it, I would always be drawn to her, and because I knew how I was, I wouldn't just be satisfied with being her friend.

I was already too far gone to be just that.

I looked over my shoulder at Sam and shook my head slightly.

"Call the elders and tell them to meet at my Dad's house. I want answers and only they can give that to me".

I was Alpha of the pack, but the elders still regarded me like the hot-headed teenager I once was, but they held a high respect for Sam, even if he had stepped down two years ago. So whenever I needed their help with something, I asked Sam to do it. He almost always had better luck with that.

I heard Sam stand to his feet before I felt him place a hand on my shoulder. I refused to turn around.

"I will do that". He said quietly and I gave a quick nod.

"Tell them to be there by nine". I said before I started making my way back out the garage.

"Where are you going"? Sam called out to me and I turned around to him briefly, a small smile playing on my lips.

"I'm going running". I said simply and turned back around and made my way towards the woods.

* * *

_I'm so hungry. I wonder if Sue is cooking again tonight._

(_Plates piled high with lasagna)_

_C'mon dude stop, it's already bad enough that we still have a whole other hour to go; you're just making it worse._

_Both of yall shut the hell up, your voices are annoying._

_(A baby whining in a crib with Paul's face on it)_

_Oh hahaha Quil very funny, I'm thoroughly impressed by your ability to come up with such creative thoughts._

_(Paul dressed up in a skirt and high heels squealing)_

_Ok dude you're seriously starting to piss me off_

_Well you were the one who said I couldn't be creative, so HA IN YOUR WOLF FACE!_

_Quil you are seriously the most childish person I have ever met._

_I know you are but what am I?_

_An idiot_

_I know you are but what am I?_

_A dickwad_

_I know you are but what am i?_

_A fucking douche bag_

_I know you are but…._

_WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!_

_(A baby whining in a crib with Jared's face on it)_

_(Thinking about asking Jake to make Quil patrol with Leah)_

…_. (Blank spot)_

_Finally, quiet._

As humans, we have many levels of conscious thoughts, the same can be said for wolfs. The first level, the one closest to the surface were thoughts that we were thinking right at the moment. It was almost like we could talk using just our sub conscience without having to utter a single syllable. It made one hell of an asset when planning an attack.

The next level was more hidden underneath, more pictures and images than actually coherent words. This was how we always knew what each other did outside of being phased. Sometimes it was something as simple as seeing what that person had for dinner, other times it was a lot more personal, thoughts and images about what someone did with another person intimately.

Added benefit of being Alpha? The ability to block some or all of my thoughts from my pack brothers.

I had been phased and listening in on Paul, Jared and Quil's conversation for a while now and they still had no idea I was here. I'm pretty sure they felt someone phase but they probably just thought it was a passing thing. I had been here for no longer than a few minutes and they hadn't even picked up my scent.

As Alpha it kind of pissed me off that they were slacking like this, but as their brother I knew what it felt like to run almost all day on patrol with no breaks and having only had about three hours of sleep the night before. I really, honesty didn't want them to know that I was here; I just wanted some time to get away and think. But because of them being lax with their surroundings, I couldn't just let it go.

_Slacking off a bit aren't we fellas?_

_(Blank spot)_

_Holy Shit!_

_*coughing…..choking*_

It was times like these, where I really enjoyed being in charge. It's no wonder we never knew what Sam was thinking all the time unless he wanted us to know. Took me a minute to get the hang of it, but eventually I did.

_Could have given us a heads up that you were here Jake._

_(Heart beating wildly…could have given us a heart attack….does he care?...NO)_

I wanted to laugh loudly and I think I did; only it came out as a snort.

_Stop being so dramatic Quil, if you were paying any attention at all, you would have felt me._

_(Kimkimkimkimkimkim...I want to go see her, wonder what she's doing)_

Jared's over powerful thoughts almost made me slip with mine, but I was able to rein them in.

_I actually came here to let you all go home; I'll take it for the rest of the night._

There was silence and then I was crowded with a bunch of things all at once.

_(Lasagna piled high with two plates full of garlic bread)_

_(Kimkimkimkimkim going to see her and make up for being gone all day,….limbs tangled together, hot, sweaty…)_

_Whoa Jared, dude, tame your thoughts man._

_Although Kim did look rather…._

_Finish that sentence and you'll be eating your dinner through a straw._

_(Blank Spot)_

I shook my head and turned around and began walking away.

_Why are you letting us off so early Jake? What's going on?_

Shit! Damn Jared and is overactive ability to notice things! The thoughts came before I could stop them and when I was able to get a hold of everything, they had already seen it all.

_(Blank spot)_

_(Huge blank spot)_

_Dude, did you imprint?_

I turned around and started jogging towards the direction of my dad's house.

_I don't want to talk about it._

I was annoyed when I heard three sets of paws following behind me. Unfortunately my brothers never knew when to take a hint.

_It's Naomi! That's cool dude._

_Another one bites the dust._

_(Claireclaireclaireclaire…..little girl running around with a red dress and black shoes)_

I hated it when everything bombarded me all at once. It made it hard to concentrate.

_You guys can phase back now; I'll take it from here._

It would have been asking for the moon and the stars if they could have just left it alone and moved on with their night. But I of all people should have known you can't always have what you ask for.

_Why don't you seem happy about this?_

_(He should be happy, finally stop him from sniffing after the bloodsucker lover)_

_I like her Jake; I think she's good for you._

I growled and turned around to face them, before continuing on my way.

_I told you I don't want to fucking talk about it!_

There was silence for a minute and for a second I thought they just might have gotten the hint and dropped the subject.

_(Don't know why he's not happy, at least he knew her first)_

_(Claireclaireclaire)_

_(Naomi is so much cuter than the paleface anyway, nice skin, nice legs, gorgeous body, nice hair AND she's Native and is a wolf? Jake always gets the good ones)_

I turned around sharply again and growled loudly at my three knuckle-headed brothers, my fur standing up.

_Phase back now!_

My entire tone dripped with an Alpha order and I really hated forcing them to do something but I needed them to shut the hell up and give me some peace.

_(Jerk off)_

_(Oh well…..Kimkimkimkimkimkimkimkimkim)_

Jared and Paul both phased back at the same time, and it just left me and Quil.

_Dude, are you ok?_

I sighed and dug in the dirt a bit with my paw

_No, I'm not and I really, really don't want to talk about it right now._

Quil gave me a jerk of his large head and walked up beside me.

_Well, I'm here bro if you do want to talk, stop thinking you always have to keep that shit bottled up all the time._

He pushed me into my side and walked away of me and it took him two seconds before he too had phased back and I was finally alone.

And now that I was alone, all I wanted to do was meet with the Elders and get my answers. My paws carried me into the direction of my dad's house automatically without even thinking about it. I needed to get this situated and right now!

Took me a couple of minutes to get there and I phased back quickly, throwing on Sam's basketball shorts and barging through the door.

There were only four people sitting in my Dad's kitchen. Sam, Sue, Old Quil and my father, and when I entered all four pairs of eyes locked on me.

I didn't like what I was feeling all of a sudden and I instantly got the six sense that this was a bad idea.

"Son, have a seat". My dad said quietly, and I didn't like his tone at all.

"No, that's ok, I'll stand".

My dad was silent for another moment before he wheeled himself back over to the table. The silence in the room was eerie and you could cut the tension with an enormous knife. I coughed loudly to clear my throat.

"So I'm assuming Sam spoke to you all to let you know I wanted to meet with you"?

There was a collective bunch of mumbles and indistinctive nods. Old Quil sipped on his tea and observed me over his cup.

"Samuel has told us that you have imprinted". He said placing his cup back on the table.

I quirked an eyebrow in his direction and gave a small nod. I thought that might have been obvious when they spoke with Sam earlier.

Sue got up from the table then and cleared it, taken the dishes to the sink and I could have sworn she gave me a look of sympathy. What the hell was going on?

Dad cleared his throat and it brought my attention back to him.

"I'm sorry son, but this can't happen".

It took me a moment to understand exactly what he said and even another few minutes to actually comprehend them. What. The. Fuck. Did. That. Mean?

"I don't understand, what the hell are you talking about dad"?

Old Quil drained his cup and ever so calmly laid it back in its resting place.

"What we're saying is son, that it's forbidden, we can't allow this, we won't allow it".

As the words sunk into my brain, it was like my world stopped. But instead of the gravity shifting and lifting me up until I couldn't breathe, it dropped a dead weight in my stomach that made me sick. Even with the freakishly werewolf metabolism and body functions, I felt dizzy and I could feel the walls crumbling around me.

I staggered forward but caught myself with a hand braced against the counter. Sue had jerk forward a bit and started to help me but backed away. I was thankful for that. My breaths were coming in fast and they sounded rugged even to my ears. I could feel the heat beginning to lick up my spine and I knew my body was starting to shake with the effort to keep it all together.

I was fucking pissed.

It was one thing for me to try and deny my _own _imprint, but I'll be damned if I allowed somebody else to tell me I couldn't be with her.

Naomi was my imprint. She was my world, my reason for breathing. I would love to see somebody try and take that away from me, take her away from me.

They had one hell of a fight coming.

* * *

_**A/N: Whew! *wipes sweat off forehead* that was a long chapter. I wanted to give you guys a nice read since it took me so long to update. Hope you all enjoyed it and as always please review and let me know what you're thinking. Our couple just can't catch a break can they? MN**_


	34. Trying

_**A/N: Well here I am again and we are getting closer to the end *sad face*. I haven't done a beginning author's note in a while so just wanted to drop a few lines before we move on to the chapter.**_

_**Many of you who have read the last chapter are probably shaking your heads and saying "that damn Jake". **_

_**Well just too kind of come to his defense, Jake's not angry about the imprint. Remember Jacob never wanted to be a wolf and when he learned about imprinting he hated it even more. Jake's all about his choices and he doesn't really like it when their taken away from him. He never had a choice when he became a wolf, and he never really had a choice when it came to imprinting. Just like turning into a wolf, it wasn't about "if" it was going to happen, it was only a matter of when. He was quite content on loving Naomi without the imprint. We also know that Jake's hard headed and "hates" when others tell him what to do. Remember you have to get inside his head, and to Jacob it was perfectly fine to try to deny the imprint himself because he felt that was the best thing to do to give Naomi a chance to make her "own" choice, but it is a completely different case if someone else is telling him to deny the imprint. To Jake, if he has a problem, he would prefer to handle it himself and god bless the person or persons who get in the way of that. When you take away or try to take away any of Jacob Black's choices there will be hell to pay.**_

_**Sorry for the extra-long note. Hope this helped a little bit. With that….onward to Chapter 34. **_

* * *

_***Trying***_

_**Naomi's POV**_

I knew something was wrong. I didn't know how I knew, but it _felt_ like it was.

The moment Jacob left me, I could feel the anxiety rolling off of him, but he seemed to be happy enough. Then late tonight things took a turn and I was up pacing a grove into our kitchen floor because I couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling that I had earlier, only this time it was magnified ten times worse than it was before.

What the hell was going on?

I had tried calling Jake a few times but didn't get an answer. I just knew then, deep down inside that it was something wrong. And nine times out of ten it had something to do with Jacob or with me.

So no longer being able to sit in my house, I left, my feet moving on their own towards the direction I knew Jacob was in. Once again, I didn't have a damn clue about how or why I knew where Jacob was going to be, I just felt it.

I didn't put on any shoes or change my clothes, so as I trudged through the trees and dirt, my feet became dirty and because I was only wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts, I was receiving tiny cuts to my arms and legs. They stung a little bit but I didn't care, they would heal up any way.

I didn't know how long I stayed wandering the forest but it seemed like forever. Every once and a while, I would get this urge to go in a different direction and I would turn around abruptly and take off into the new direction. I would continue on this route for a couple more minutes before that urge pulled at me again and forced me to change directions again.

If anyone was looking at me now, I'm sure I looked like a puppet being pulled by invisible strings.

I don't know how long I was out here, but my legs were bleeding badly now and so were my arms. I was hungry and I was thirsty, but I wanted to see Jake, I _needed _to see Jake. Before long, instead of feeling dirt beneath my feet, I felt sand and smelt the sea water. I had reached the beach.

My eyes searched frantically for the only person I wanted to see at this late hour and I found him, sitting not too far from where I was standing, on an old piece of driftwood, looking out into the dark waters. I couldn't stop myself from running towards him.

When i was halfway to him, I slowed to a jog and just before I reached him completely I stopped. Jake was only wearing a pair of basketball shorts and his chest was bare. His back was facing me and I couldn't stop staring at the muscles that moved every time he breathed. Jacob was a gorgeous man.

"Why are you out here so late honey"? He called out to me quietly without turning around. I jumped a bit

"I was looking for you". I stated simply.

Jake laughed, but it didn't sound the same. It was detached and empty. I took a tentative step forward.

"What's wrong "? I asked. Jacob sighed and buried his head in his hands.

"What isn't wrong? Everything is wrong".

I shuffled my feet a bit before I took three huge steps and sat down in the sand beside him. We didn't speak for a few minutes, allowing the sound of the waves to ease the tension in the air. I didn't utter a word and after a few minutes I couldn't hold back anymore.

"Talk to me, please". I asked him quietly and Jacob turned to look at me with a pained expression on his face. I didn't like it. I wanted to hug him and make whatever it was he was feeling at the moment disappear.

Jake turned his head to look at me and gave me a small smile but I could tell that it was forced.

"The Elders don't believe it's in the best interest of our tribe if we continue with an intimate relationship".

I shook my head, not yet able to really get what he was saying.

"I don't understand".

Jacob groaned and stood to his feet. I didn't follow him physically but my eyes followed as he paced back and forth in front of me, the light from the moon emulating his frame.

"I don't understand it either honey. They're all old and set in their ways".

The tears came to my eyes before I could stop them and they were hot as they ran down my face.

"I like being with you why can't that be enough for them"? I asked softly and a soft sob escaped my throat.

Jacob turned around sharply at the sound and I placed a hand over my mouth. He gave me a soft smile that went straight to my heart and walked over to me, kneeling down in front of me.

"Come on sweetie, no tears okay? Believe me when I tell you that there is nothing on this fucking planet that could keep me from you. Do you trust that"? Hhh

He asked.

I nodded and wiped at my cheeks. Jake leaned forward and placed a small soft kiss to my lips. Then his eyes moved over my body, taking in the cuts on my arms and legs.

"What happened"? He asked and I shrugged.

"I got cut by some bushes and trees on my way to find you".

Jacob shook his head at me before placing his arms underneath my legs and against my back and lifted me up against his chest. I squealed and threw my arms around his neck as he marched right towards the water.

"Jacob, where are you going"? I laughed, the wind blowing my hair harshly against my face.

He turned towards me and his eyes scanned my legs.

"Can't have that beautiful skin of yours scarred, not even for me". He said simply and I couldn't help the smile that came to my lips.

Jacob walked us right up to the waves and he moved into the water until it came to his ankles, then without effort he sat down with me on his lap, the water now up to our waists.

Without saying a word, Jake took on of my legs in his hands and lifted it up a bit and placed it against his chest. He used the same hand and dipped it back into the water, cupping it so that he could hold some water in his palm. Then ever so gently he moved the water over my leg, massaging softly as he made his way down. He did the same thing to my other leg as well as both my arms. We were quiet the whole time, only the waves making any kind of noise. But by the time Jake was finished, my breathing had become shallow and I could feel my heart about to pound right out my chest. He just had that kind of effect on me.

Jacob sighed and wrapped his arms around me, burying his nose in my hair and against my neck. I whimpered a bit and he laughed quietly.

"Have I ever told you how much I love the sounds that you make"? He asked, pulling back now so that he could look in my face and his eyes were the soft amber color again. That set my insides on fire.

All I could do was shake my head because I didn't think I was capable of speech right this moment. Jake smirked and ran a finger gently down my cheek and across my jawline, then down my neck and across my bust line. I choked on my own breath.

"I love the reaction I get from you with just a simple touch".

He was slowly driving me up the wall and I had to get some kind of control over myself before I completely listened to my instincts and ripped what little bit of clothes Jake had on from his body.

Instead of just sitting on Jake's lap, I moved both my legs so that I was now straddling him, and I placed a hand against his chest and pushed, forcing him to lie back against the sand. The waves came up around us, and soaked our clothes but I could have cared less. I leaned down and pressed my body against Jake's and rubbed my noise against his cheek.

"And I love this; I love the feel of you, the feel of us together". I whispered.

Jacob growled and I could feel his fingers grip my hips tightly.

"You are really trying to kill me". He said and before I could think he crashed his lips into mine.

I welcomed it with enthusiasm and I held myself up with my hands buried in the sand. I could feel Jake's hands running up under my shirt and over my back and it just fueled my fire just that much more and all of a sudden, I needed to take it just a bit further.

I tore my lips away from his and moved them down his neck, tasting the skin there before I continued down his chest. I loved the way Jacob smelled and I don't think I would ever get tired of his taste. I didn't know what came over me, but I just couldn't get enough of _him._ I was steadily making my way lower, using my mouth to explore Jacob's body when all of a sudden I was pulled back upward roughly by both my arms and being flipped over onto my back.

I barely had time to register what just happened before Jacob's warm lips were on mine again, kissing me until I felt dizzy. Jake pulled away way too soon for my liking and he leaned his head against mine, cursing softly under his breath.

"We have to stop honey, my self-control right now is bordering on the edge of nothing, because you are….just…_fuck_".

I smiled and placed a gentle kiss to his lips, before I continued peppering small quick kisses across his face.

"Maybe I don't want you to stop. Maybe I want you to lose control". I said quietly in between kisses and I felt Jacob freeze.

"Please don't say that sweetheart, because in two seconds I will not be responsible for anything that I do".

I laughed but never stopped with my kisses, moving again from his face to neck. Jake laughed and slowly moved away from me. I instantly became cooler when his body left mine and I sat up, my bottom lip poking out in a pout.

Jake shook his head at me with a smirk on his face, and then he got serious. He moved to sit beside me and gently took my hand in his own.

"I don't want you to think that I don't want you, because you have absolutely no idea how much I do right now. But I want it to be special, not here on some beach, in some dirty sand".

He turned to look at me then and the strong emotion dancing in his eyes made my heart stop.

"I want all of you and every part of you. I can't seem to think straight when I'm not with you and I would love nothing more than to just wake up beside you every morning".

Jacob took in a deep breath and slightly shook his head. I had no idea what was going through his head.

"There's so much I need to tell you and I have absolutely no idea how to say it".

I reached up and placed a finger to his lips and shushed him quietly.

"I told you no matter what, I would always be your friend. I trust you Jake and you have been a great friend to me".

I looked away and I could feel my cheeks beginning to warm up.

"I would like to see what it would feel like to go past that friendship stage with you, regardless of what people may say". I whispered quietly but I knew Jake had heard every word.

I heard him chuckle a bit before I felt a finger under my chin and I was staring into his eyes again. Jacob pushed some hair from my face. He smiled.

"I think we are both too far gone already for this to be anything other than what it is. You are mine and you already have all of me that I can give, so if you want to see how it feels to be with me other than being my friend than you got it sweetheart".

Jake kissed me again and I sighed into his mouth, never believing that I would ever get tired of kissing this man. When he pulled away, he wrapped an arm around me and I laid my head against his shoulder. The sun was beginning to rise indicating that dawn was coming and neither one of us moved or said a word. We just sat there enjoying each other's presence, Jake's fingers making soothing circles on my arm and my own tracing and following the muscles on his stomach. There was nothing else left to say and I could tell that whatever that had been troubling Jake earlier wasn't anymore and that made me happy.

But somewhere, in the back of mind, I couldn't help but feel that he still wasn't telling me something. Something big. And that something had _everything _to do with me.

* * *

_**A/N: Please don't be too upset with me for having you guys wait so long for this update. Life has been extremely hectic for the last two weeks and I finally had time to myself. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, nothing to exciting but as we near the end of the story, things will get rocky before they become better for good. As always please review as they make me giddy and I could use some giddy-ness in my life right now. Thanks for reading MN**_


	35. Far Away

_**A/N: For all intents and purposes of this chapter, Paul has NOT imprinted yet. Enjoy the chapter.**_

* * *

_***Far Away***_

_**Naomi's POV**_

It had been over a month, a whole fucking month. I haven't heard from or seen Jacob for a month. I didn't get it. I couldn't even wrap my head around it. I didn't know his reasoning for avoiding me like he was doing, but honestly at this point, I was tired of it and I was slowly getting over the person which was Jacob Black.

I hadn't done a damn thing to deserve being ignored like I was being currently. I knew he was having issues with the elders of his tribe concerning out blossoming relationship but he told me that no matter what they thought or what they told him, there wasn't anything in this world that could keep us apart.

Guess the joke was all on me.

I had tried calling a million times only to get Billy. We had talked briefly and he assured me that he was doing everything within his power to convince the council that the prospect of me and Jake was ok. I really didn't understand what the big freaking deal was. Why would their council need to get involved in anything that concerned two younger people? What exactly was their issue about us two being together?

It felt like something was being left out, something that it seemed nobody wanted to let me in on.

After the second week of constantly trying to get in touch with Jacob and getting no response, I stopped. I was hurt; I was confused, I was angry. I was everything all at once. I missed Jake but I was also so mad at him that I couldn't even think straight.

So I tried to forget about him. That was really a lot easier said than done. Somehow, everything I did reminded me of Jake. It was like he was right here with me even if he wasn't here physically. I couldn't explain it, but I just knew that I felt him.

I was completely lost in thought as I sat alone outside on the swinging bench my mom had on her front porch. It was a nice day out for once and I took the time to try and clear head. I didn't want to be inside because my living room was being occupied with happy couples and I just didn't have the tolerance for that right now. Everyone was happy but me.

I heard the front door open and close but I didn't bother turning around. The person took a few steps over to me before the bench sunk and swung back and forth a little with the added weight.

"How's it going little person"? Leah asked me quietly and I gave a nonchalant shrug of my shoulders.

We had become closer this past month and I dared to say that I considered her a friend. I talked to her a lot about Jake and because she had spent a good amount of time with him she could help me understand him a little more. Not that it helped with this situation.

Leah sighed beside me and I continued staring out blankly at our front yard.

"He's being an asshole". She muttered beside me and I snorted.

I didn't think asshole was an appropriate enough word to describe exactly how Jake was acting right now. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leah turn her head slightly to look at me.

"I'm sorry he's acting this way". She said quietly and I shook my head.

"He's a grown man Leah, you don't have to apologize for the shit that he's doing".

Leah sighed again and we sat in silence for a minute, nothing but wind softly making a sound. Then suddenly I had the overwhelming compulsion to ask a question that's been plaguing me for a while now.

"Why haven't the elders said anything to you all about ya'll relationships? You and Embry are imprinted to my brother and sister, what makes me and Jake that much different?"

Leah coughed and stood to her feet, leaving me alone on the bench. She leaned on our porch railing with her back towards me. Call me crazy, but I could have sworn she looked a little uneasy.

"Oh believe me, they are bitching over us as well, but Jake is a different case all together".

I got up from my seat and went to stand next to her and my first suspicions where confirmed when Leah wouldn't catch my eyes.

"Why is Jacob different? Doesn't seem to different to me, you and Embry are both Quileute and Aaron, Camille and myself are Apache, and I don't see them making such a big deal about the rest of you guys".

Leah finally turned around and faced me pushing some hair out of her face.

"Jacob will become Chief one day and it was always more appropriate for the Chief to marry someone of Quileute blood. I know its complete bullshit, but the old folks live by the word and traditions of our ancestors. Me and Embry have imprinted on people who aren't Quileute, they don't like it but it's not a damn thing they can do about it. But me and Em aren't going to be Chief though; it gets a bit difficult with Jacob".

I still didn't understand, something still just wasn't coming together.

"But who's to say that Jacob and me are going to be together forever, I mean we might just go our separate ways, but I just want an opportunity to try first".

Now Leah really did look uneasy and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"I really think that's something you and Jake need to discuss". She said quietly and I let out a frustrated kind of noise, running my fingers roughly through my hair. I really wanted to scream.

"You think I wouldn't if I could get in touch with him"? I said. "God, it's almost like everyone else knows what the hell is going on and refuses to let me in on it. You guys are not telling something".

Leah grabbed both my shoulders and gripped them tightly.

"I would tell you if I thought it was going to help, but this is something that Jacob needs to tell you himself. I'm not going to take that from him".

I sighed and it was almost like my whole determination just went away. I was just about over the entire thing. I took a step back from Leah, choosing not to look at her at all.

"I'm going to go for a run for a bit, tell my brother and sis will you"? I muttered lowly to Leah and before she could even acknowledge what I said I was already down the steps and into the yard, pulling my shirt up over my head and stepping out my pants.

I had just gotten them both tied to my leg when I couldn't hold her in any longer and I was running full speed on four legs, allowing myself to become completely one with my wolf. This was the only way I could get away from all this. Being with my other half was calming for me and if I could stay like this forever, at this point, I really would. I took my time in the forest, stopping every once and a while to smell a flower or chase a rabbit. I was perfectly content with staying out here all day.

That is until I heard movement ahead of me. I froze.

Then I stood face to face with a huge gray wolf, its body a lot bigger than my own and I calmed down a bit realizing that it was a Quileute and as I took in the color of its fur I realized it was Paul. Because we weren't apart of the same pack I had no idea what he was thinking so I gave him a small yelp and jogged behind a nearby bush so that I could phase back and throw on some clothes. I slowly made my way back into view and leaned casually on a tree, my arms crossed over my chest. I laughed when Paul sat down on his butt and cocked his head to the side as he looked at me. I shook my head.

"Unfortunately I don't know what you're thinking, so you have to phase back".

Paul moved his huge shoulders in what I assume was a shrug and took off, following my earlier movements from before and a second later came back into view wearing a pair of basketball shorts and wearing a smile.

"That was the first time I have been around another wolf and have heard absolutely nothing. It's actually pretty fucking refreshing".

I laughed but then my smile quickly fell and the depressing thoughts had come back. Paul quickly took notice.

"Hey, are you ok"? He asked and I gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Oh yeah, I'm just peachy, just completely and utterly fucking fine". I yelled and I immediately regretted it. I mean, it wasn't Paul's fault that Jake was once again being a dick wad.

I shook my head and avoided meeting Paul's gaze. I rubbed my temples.

"Look Paul, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you".

He waved me off as if my words hadn't even fazed him and gave me that same smirk he had before.

"It's cool fire cracker, seems like you got a lot of shit you need to get off your chest".

I laughed again and it came out pretty hysterical. He had no idea how true that statement actually was. Paul had walked closer to me and I hadn't even noticed because I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts. He touched my elbow gently and his touch is what kind of brought me back. My eyes met his and I was surprised to see compassion there.

"If you want to talk, you can always let that shit off with me". He said simply.

And for some reason, that was all it took and before I knew it I was telling Paul everything, and by the time I was finished I had shouted till I was hoarse and I was breathing a bit more deeply than I was before. We both had taken up residence on a downed tree trunk and I was completely surprised that Paul had actually listened to my whole tirade. Not once did he utter a single syllable, allowing me to vent in the way I have been wanting too for the past four weeks. I briefly looked his way and gave a sheepish smile.

"Sorry if I talked your ear off. I know you probably want to claw your eyes out". I laughed but I was surprised when Paul's arm brushed against mine as he moved closer to me.

"Its funny how people always assume that I don't give a shit about things. Sometimes I really don't, but other times, like now, I really do". He said gently.

I almost choked on the breath that I took in at Paul's words. He was always portrayed by the guys as the asshole and ladies' man. But right now, he didn't seem like any of those, he was the complete opposite.

Paul gave me a gentle smile and I found myself smiling back, feeling lighter than I have in weeks. He took my hand his own and his thumb made soothing circles on my skin.

"Jake's an idiot if he can't see what's in front of his face. You are something special and any man would be happy to call you his own and if you were mine, I wouldn't give a fuck what the elders said about a damn thing".

My heart was thumbing wildly in my chest and I know Paul heard it because he had a sarcastic little smirk on his lips that wouldn't go away. I felt him pull on my hand just a bit and the movement forced me closer to him, so close that there was barely any space left between us. My mind screamed at me over and over again that I had to get a handle on this situation, but Paul's words pulled at my heart and I found myself wrapping around them.

Ever so gently, he brought a hand up and caressed my cheek and against my better judgment I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch, welcoming the warmth that had been absent for me. When my eyes opened again, Paul was taking in all of my features, from my hairline to my cheek bones, settling bit on my lips before his eyes met mine again.

"You're a beautiful person inside and out. It's too bad he can't see that for himself". He said quietly.

And before I had a chance to blink, Paul was kissing me, his lips against mine softly, almost a little hesitant. My body reacted immediately and I leaned into him, welcoming the kiss. This is what I have been wanting for the last month, to feel like I was needed and desirable, to feel like I was beautiful.

The kiss was comforting for me and I almost couldn't get enough of the heat that was surrounding me. I felt Paul gently wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me so close to him that I was almost sitting in his lap. I ran my hand up his neck and laced my fingers into his hair, tugging a bit and earning a deep groan from him. This was exactly what I have been craving.

And while Paul gave me the comfort I was looking for, he still wasn't the man I wanted, that I needed. He wasn't Jacob.

But Jake didn't care about me. If he did, he wouldn't have been avoiding me for a whole month. If he cared, I would be kissing him right now, instead of Paul.

I tried to forget about Jake as I felt Paul begin to deepen the kiss and I responded with enthusiasm, so much so that this time he actually pulled me into his lap and I had to grab onto his shoulders to keep my balance. He was giving me everything that I needed, that I craved but my mind was convincing me that the hands that were gripping my hips were Jake's and the lips that were assaulting mine belong to the man I loved.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter how hard I tried to forget, Jacob was everywhere. All I really wanted was him.

But he didn't want me.

I whimpered into Paul's mouth and I felt his hands begin to run up my back. This needed to stop and stop now, but even as my mind told me this very thing, my body refused to give in and I found myself trying to place myself as close as I possibly could. I wanted to forget about everything that had been going on and if Paul was willing to help me out with that then so be it.

He moved his lips from my own and moved them down my neck and to my collarbone and I was getting my wish to just forget when my brain began to get hazy. I just needed Paul to make me forget.

But then the quiet solitude of our moment was interrupted by a loud crack of a nearby tree and we froze. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

"What the fuck is going on"?

Inside I wanted to crawl into a hole and never show my face again, but the other part of me was defiant and I turned my head, staring directly at the person that had been avoiding me like I had some incurable disease.

Jacob stood not too far away from us and his entire body was quivering. He held both arms stiffly at his side and his fists were balled up tightly and he was breathing deeply through his nose.

Jake was beyond pissed. And I felt like such a bitch because knowing that gave me some kind of sweet satisfaction.

Paul stood calmly to his feet without removing me from his lap. To keep from falling I had to wrap my legs around his waist and then he set me softly to my feet. His entire being was calm as he addressed the seething werewolf in front of us.

"Exactly what it looks like dude". He said quietly and Jake's eyes snapped from me to his and if possible I think his anger doubled.

"I should fucking kill you for even putting a hand on her you lousy piece of shit".

Beside me I could feel Paul's own frame beginning to shake and I started to become concerned.

"Well jerk off, if you didn't treat her like she was nothing there wouldn't be a need for me to show her that she is very much worth it".

Jacob took a deliberate and slow step towards us and Paul stuck out an arm and ever so slightly moved me behind him. Jake eyed the movement and gave a sarcastic and slightly demented laugh.

"I think it might be in your best interest Paul if you got the fuck up out my way and let me and Naomi talk".

I could tell Jacob was holding onto everything he had left not to lose it, but his shaking never stopped and over the last few minutes it seemed to get worse.

Paul took three huge steps and cut off Jake's path to me. They were standing face to face now, Jake just a little bit taller, with no space left between them and now both boys were shaking considerably.

"Word of advice Dear Old _Alpha_, grow some damn balls and grow the fuck up. Learn how to treat your woman like a real man, because if you were doing a good job, she wouldn't have enjoyed getting from me what she wants so desperately to be getting from you". Paul said quietly and it was laced with so much venom that I flinched at his words.

What went down next happened so quickly that I almost missed it.

Jacob had punched Paul so hard in his jaw that he flew backwards and went through a tree with a loud crack. It scared the heck out of me and I had just barely gotten out of the way before the tree behind me was suddenly nothing but broken wood.

Paul wasted no time in retaliating and landed a good punch to Jacob rib cage. I heard the bones crack unpleasantly under his fist and that was enough for me to want this to stop.

They went for each other again and this time I stepped in between them. I didn't want them fighting and destroying their brotherhood over me.

"Stop this"! I yelled, but it didn't seem to get their attention at all. They were both still trying to maim one another as if I wasn't even standing there.

I quickly stuck an arm out and pushed against Paul's chest. When he acknowledged that I was standing there, I moved so that my back was too him and used both my arms to stop Jake, pressing against his chest until he stopped and his eyes found mine.

Then I forgot what the hell I was trying to do and I couldn't focus. All I saw was Jake and he looked hurt.

Paul gave a loud sigh behind me and started to back away. I didn't turn around but somehow I knew that he wouldn't care either way. When he spoke his words were directed at Jacob.

"You need to stop fucking up Black and claim what's yours, otherwise someone else will see the treasure you left behind and take it".

I felt the air move then and I knew Paul had phased back and when I heard his paws gallop away from us, I knew we were completely alone.

I briefly remembered I had my hands pressed against Jake's chest and I removed them quickly, so quick you would have though i had got burned.

I turned away, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze.

"What the hell was that Naomi"? Jake asked and it was hard to miss the hurt in his voice. I felt bad, I really did, but by him asking me that question just set me off and I became angry.

I turned around quickly to face him again and I couldn't resist giving him a hard push, which he took without protest.

"Oh, now you want to talk to me Jake? I have been trying to fucking contact you for a whole damn month and all you've given me was your ass to kiss and now you want to come around and ask questions"?

Jake turned his head away from briefly shaking his head as if he couldn't believe what I was saying. This of course pissed me off more.

"So because you're mad at me, you go and kiss another guy, Paul of all people". His voice was beginning to rise a bit and I took two steps to stand directly in front of him, my face inches from his own, not even caring about the height difference.

"Does that bother you Jake? Paul is actually a very sincere and kind person deep down". I snarled. "Maybe you know now how it feels to see someone you care about kissing another person".

Jacob flinched at the memory of long ago, and a small part of me hated to bring up a moment that we both preferred to forget about. But I wanted him to hurt like I have been hurting. I wanted him to have his doubts just like I was having now and been having for four weeks.

Jacob moved to grab my arms and I stepped back. I didn't trust myself if he touched me. I didn't want him to touch me right now. Jake sighed.

"Naomi can we at least talk"? He asked and I laughed. I couldn't believe him. I shook my head.

"No, we can't talk; I don't want to talk to you Jake because when I did, you avoided me".

I choked back the sob had almost escaped my throat and blinked back my tears. I wouldn't do this here, not in front of him.

"There is something going on that nobody is telling me about and I hate feeling left out". I said, finally catching Jake's eye and the emotional pain I saw there almost broke me.

"What ever happened to being friends Jake? We were supposed to be able to tell each other everything and somehow we both lost sight of that".

Jacob took a small step towards me, but one look at my face stopped him from taking anymore.

"Honey, this last month has been absolutely hell for me, shit is just so fucked up now". His voice was pleading, wanting me to understand, but I didn't.

I was silent as I walked over to Jake, his eyes following me the entire way. I couldn't do this anymore; my heart had been through enough.

"I understand what you might have to deal with, but I'm sorry, I won't allow myself to be pulled in twenty different directions waiting for you. You may not like him for what we did, but one thing Paul said is true". I accidently pressed on Jake's sore ribs and he winced. I leaned down and softly pressed a kiss too his side before I back away.

I took one last look at him.

"If you really cared about me as much as you said you do, you wouldn't care what the elders had to say, it would just be about me and you".

Jacob moved towards me quickly but I moved farther away.

"Honey please just wait and listen to me for a minute". He pleaded again but my feet never stopped moving backwards towards the direction of my home. I was done here.

"Goodbye Jacob".

And in one quick motion, I was one four legs again, running like a freight train away from my pain and from my heart.

I loved Jacob with my entire being, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue feeling this pain that I felt right now.

Maybe we just weren't meant to be together. You couldn't always get what you wished for.

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_**A/N: Please Review.**_


	36. Ever more

_***Ever More***_

_**Jacob's POV**_

This time when she ran away from me, I didn't even try to stop myself as I followed. I couldn't stop my body from being pulled in her direction. I haven't seen her or have been this close in over a month and trying to resist the constant urge to be near her was too much, even for me.

So I didn't have to think about anything at all as my legs moved and I was running in the direction that she went.

I had been an asshole, a complete and utter asshole. I had been avoiding Naomi like it was her fault the elders were being dickheads, like it was her fault they had an issue with us being together.

She didn't deserve the way I had treated her and I deserved everything that she had said to me.

But with that being said, it still didn't keep me from wanting rip out Paul's throat. She was **MY **fucking imprint, and even if she didn't know that yet, he damn well did and he still chose to put his hands on her.

She was mine and only I was allowed to touch her like that.

My body quivered every time my mind played back flashes of what I walked in on. I have wanted to kiss those lips for weeks now and feel that soft skin underneath my finger tips and to see Paul doing that exact same thing made it that much harder to bear.

The truth was, I could no longer continue to be away from her, the pain had gotten to be too much and it was turning me into an emotional monster that could not and would not be contained. I was in a constant uphill battle with the council that had me wanting to tear them all apart limb from limb.

They were trying to take everything for me. Wasn't it enough that I was condemned to a life in LaPush until I gave up my position as Alpha, and seeing how it was my birthright, that shit was never going to happen? Yeah, I had started my own business and yes it was successful, even more so than I ever dreamed.

But I had never gone to college; I never had the chance to truly experience what most people my age would have been dreaming about since high school. I got my GED a few months after Bella left but that was as far as higher education went with me. Being a werewolf was already hard enough on your social life, but when you became Alpha that really only left you with only a few options.

I had given up my entire life for my tribe since I was sixteen years old. I had never asked them for anything. I took my fate for what it was and made do with what I had, taking up my rightful duty as Alpha in stride. The one time, _the one fucking time, _I finally had something worthwhile happening in my life; they couldn't let me have that. After everything that I had given up, they couldn't even let me be happy. To say that I was more than pissed off was an understatement. I didn't risk my life everyday out here for nothing. I didn't stay up way into the night and half the morning to make sure that all was well just so the council could give me their asses to kiss.

No, I was done being the puppet. I wasn't Sam; I didn't hold the council on a holier-than-thou pedestal. The only council member's opinion that matter to me was my Dad's and even he couldn't understand what was wrong with them.

I could somewhat understand their reasoning if Naomi was just some random, normal girl that I had just met. But not only was she my imprint, _my goddamn imprint_, she herself was a wolf, so she knew all about who I was and the stories of my ancestors. She knew what to expect and was happy either way. But that wasn't enough for them, not only did they want to control what I did but also who I loved. They didn't even give a shit if she was my imprint or not because as Alpha I had an image to up hold and honor.

That image could kick fucking rocks. I was going to do whatever the fuck I please, and I was going to start with making things right with my imprint.

By the time I reached Naomi, she had already phased back and was pulling a tank top over her head and she was exposed to me for a quick second. I was rooted to the spot with an extremely intense urge to touch her and my fingers twitched a little with the need to do just that.

I recovered just in time though to stop Naomi from leaving the trees and I grabbed her by both arms and pulled her into me, her back hitting my chest. She struggled for a minute but then quickly calmed down and I knew she could feel the imprint just as strongly as I was now. I buried my nose in her hair and took in a deep breath, filling my nose with her scent. I almost wanted to bottle up the smell and keep it hidden and too myself.

I moved my nose from her hair and slowly moved down to her neck, smiling when I heard her heartbeat pick up. At least I could still get a reaction from her. I wondered for a minute if she would allow me to kiss her here and no sooner had the thought crossed my mind, I was doing it, gently trailing kisses from her neck to her collarbone. I grinned like an idiot when her breath hiked.

"Please honey; give me a chance to explain". I whispered into her ear and I felt her tremble against me.

Naomi didn't speak for a long moment but she was breathing more deeply now. I wasn't going to push her though, when she was ready to talk, she would. I was perfectly content with just holding her close.

"Why have you been avoiding me Jacob? What have I done that was just that bad"? She asked me quietly and on the last couple words, her voice cracked.

My heart broke.

The hurt I heard in her voice was because of me. The way she was feeling was because of me. I have never felt more like a dick than I did right at this moment.

I turned her around so that I could look at her and was floored when I saw the tears silently falling down her face. Seeing her like that was like someone stabbing a knife through my heart. I never wanted to make Naomi feel this way and the fact that she was made me sick to my stomach.

I used my thumb to gently clear away the tears streaks from her cheeks and then took a moment just staring at her. She wasn't looking at me but I didn't care, I just wanted to look at her face. I would never get tired of just staring at her face.

"Sweetheart look at me". I urged her quietly and very slowly, Naomi lifted her eyes to meet mine.

I gave her a smile and moved some hair from her face.

"I have been an asshole". I started. "I have completely ignored how my absence might affect you and for that honey, I'm sorry. I have been fighting so hard for us that I got caught up and forgot what was really important, who was really important".

Naomi tried to turn her face away from me again but I grabbed her chin gently and kept her staring directly at me. I needed to her to understand.

"There is no excuse for my actions and I don't think I will ever be able to truly show you how sorry I am, but under no circumstances do I want you to believe that me acting this way is because of you, you have been a fucking breath of fresh air for me and I now that I have a taste, I can't let you go".

Naomi still hadn't uttered a word, but she wasn't crying anymore and I could feel her hands move to my waist. She was touching me, which was a good sign.

"Do you believe me"? I asked quietly and to my immense relief she gave me a very soft nod.

I wanted to kiss her but I thought that was a little too much too soon, so I settled with just bringing her close and placing a kiss to her forehead. I felt her hands come up and clasped my back slightly and it took everything in me not to lose it just from her touch alone.

"I have missed the shit out of you and I'm so fucking sorry for acting like a dick". I said, my face buried in deep in her hair. It was so thick and soft. I swear I could close my eyes right now and slip off into a peaceful sleep without trouble.

I pulled away slightly and tilted Naomi's chin up a bit with my finger.

"Please say you'll forgive me". I said quietly bringing my lips close to her own, so close that her sweet breath blew across my face but only enough so that our lips were barely touching.

Naomi gave me a tiny smile and my heart fluttered. I almost didn't want to hope too much for the best.

"I forgive you Jacob". She said quietly and my face broke out in a huge grin and I couldn't help wrapping my arms around her and spinning her in a huge circle.

She laughed and I didn't know how much I missed that sound until I heard it again. When I sat her back down on her feet, her arms remained wrapped around my shoulders. We stood close and I couldn't help but to stare into the beautiful cinnamon colored eyes that stared right back at me. I felt the imprint pull at me hard and I wasn't sure if it was that or if it was me, when I suddenly leaned forward and crushed my lips to hers, catching her off guard with the abruptness of it.

But she didn't stop me and I couldn't have hoped for more.

Naomi laced her fingers into my hair and I responded with enthusiasm, moving my hands to her hips gripping them slightly. I wanted, no _needed _to make things up to her, really make things right and at this moment all I wanted was to take her home and keep her there, so that I could show her just how much I regretted leaving her alone.

After a minute, we broke away and I just held her, I honestly didn't think I had it in me to allow her to be away from me. I was glad that Naomi had forgiven me and my bullshit, but there was still something I needed her to know.

I needed to tell her about the imprint. And I had absolutely no idea how to do that.

Telling Naomi about me imprinting on her scared the shit out of me because I didn't know what her reaction was going to be. I knew she deserved to know what had happen but the fact of the matter was I just wasn't ready to tell her.

But I had to man the fuck up and just lay it all out on the table.

Slowly, I pushed Naomi away gently by her arms and gave her a reassuring smile when her eyes met mine questionably. I sighed.

"There is something I have to tell you, sweetheart". I said quietly.

Naomi gave me a small nod, urging me to continue.

"What is it Jake"?

I had to smile when she shortened my name. She only called me Jacob when she was mad at me. This meant I was finally on her good side.

Of course that might last too long.

I took in a deep breath.

"The more I'm away from you, the harder it is. Sometimes the need to see you and be near you is so great that I literally have to fight with myself, otherwise I would be at your side all day and all night".

I closed the distance I had created earlier between us and I took both her hands in my own.

"I'm not going to lie to you, at first I tried to ignore it, but now I can't, I honestly really can't".

Naomi was biting on her bottom lip and looking at me with confused eyes.

"I don't understand Jake, what are you trying to tell me"?

I braced myself, it was now or never. I just kept telling myself that she had the right to know.

"What I'm saying honey, is that you are it for me. You are my world, my reason for living, my reason for even existing. You are my everything".

I swear Naomi had stopped breathing and ever so slightly she took a step back. Bad sign.

"Are you saying…."? Naomi stuttered and then stopped. It seemed like the words had gotten stuck in her throat.

I gave her a very subtle nod.

"Yes honey, I'm saying you're it. It's happened. You're my imprint".

Naomi took in a sharp breath and took a few more steps backward, away from me. This was a very bad sign. She placed a hand over her chest almost as if she was trying to calm down her own heartbeat. Her eyes avoided my own as she spoke to me.

"When did this happen"? She questioned softly. I ran a hand over my hair, loosening my ponytail in the process, before I answered.

"Almost two months ago, when you came into the kitchen and saw me kiss Bella".

When her eyes finally connected with my own, there was fire dancing in them and her small frame shook.

"So you mean after all this time, you kept this from me? Why didn't you tell me Jacob"?

There goes the use of my full name again. I knew I was in deep shit then. I took a step towards Naomi and was relieved when she didn't move away.

"I wanted you to make your own choice; I didn't want you to be forced into anything".

I reached out to grab her hand but she snatched it away from my grasp.

"You wanted me to make my own choice"? She asked again. "Jacob, you took away my choice when you decided to keep this a secret. You made my choice for me".

Her words stopped my heart and I felt like shit. I hadn't thought about it in that sense and in more ways than one she was completely right. I tried to reach for her again.

"Honey, I'm sorry, I wasn't really thinking clearly at all when this went down. Everything fucked my head up bad and at the time I really thought it was a good idea. Obviously I know now that it wasn't".

My hands wrapped around her arms and I attempted to bring her close to me again but she moved out of my embrace, a look of pain on her face.

"How do I even know if you really want to be here right now? How do I know that the reason you're here right now is because _you _want too and not because the imprint is telling you too"?

I shook my head. She just had to know that I was controlling this imprint and NOT the other way around. Things were being done on my terms.

"No honey, that's not even….." She cut me off when she suddenly held her hand up.

"Just stop, Jacob. I need some time ok? I can't even wrap my head around it all. Just give me some time".

I didn't say another word. I just gave her a quick nod. Naomi stood there and looked at me for a long moment before she turned on her feet and started walking away. She stopped right at the edge of the forest and looked at me over her shoulder.

"This is pretty fucked up that I forgave you and still found out you had been keeping things from me. I don't know what to believe now. But I honestly thought we were better than that Jake. I thought no matter what we were going through, we could always go to each other. I guess I was wrong".

She didn't give me a chance to tell her that she wasn't wrong because she was gone that fast. I wanted to hit something. I stopped myself from doing that, but I did let out a frustrated yell.

It was like I take two steps forward only to get knocked right back. I didn't know what to do anymore. Fate was just completely set on making my life hell and so far that evil bitch was doing a fine job.

I couldn't fucking win for losing.

* * *

_**A/N: As always thanks for reading and please review, it will make this author very happy and giddy inside. Plus its my birthday!**_


	37. Finally

_***Finally***_

* * *

_**Jacob's POV**_

"So you told her right"?

I nodded my head, but didn't say a word.

"Okay? So if she knows about the imprint now, why are you guys still not talking"?

I sighed and ran a hand over my face.

"Because I kept it from her, if anyone should have known what was going on, it was her".

I moved my hands from my face and looked at the person sitting across from me. Bella was looking at me with questioning eyes. And for once I couldn't read her. I didn't have a clue what she was thinking. We were sitting in Charles's kitchen and I had just unleashed to Bells what had been going on with me since she found me in the woods after my argument with Naomi. I had been talking to her a lot in the past couple weeks and I felt that I could call her my friend again. But with that being said, it didn't make my situation easier; in fact, I'm pretty sure if Naomi knew Bella had found out about the imprint before she did, shit would really hit the fan. And hard.

"I think you've gone about this all wrong Jake". Bella said quietly and I snorted loudly.

"Thanks Bells, didn't even realize it". I couldn't help the sarcasm. I really wanted someone to tell me something I didn't know.

Bella laughed and slapped my arm; if I wasn't looking at her I probably wouldn't have felt it at all.

"I'm serious Jake. You have to stop thinking that you know what's best for everyone. What might be good for you is not always good for others".

I looked at Bella for a long second before a small smile came to my lips.

"I knew what was best for you Bells, even when you didn't. That has to account for something".

Bella laughed quietly and she blushed slightly.

"I know you did, but you also knew me. Inside and Out. You could read me better than even I could myself". She touched my arm again softly before she continued.

"But Naomi is completely different. I think you have finally met your match Jacob Black because believe it or not, you can't read everyone".

I groaned and leaned back in my chair. I knew she was right though. Bella and Naomi were completely different people. With Bella, a single look could cross her face and I would instantly know what she was feeling. I knew when she was lying and I knew what she was thinking. I could and still could read Bella like an open book.

Naomi was a lot more difficult.

She had a damn good poker face. Sometimes I had a hard time trying to even decipher what was flowing through her mind. Naomi had a ton of different layers and every time you peeled back one, there was another, and then another after that.

But that's what I loved about her. She was complex, she was stubborn, she was intricate, and she was everything. She completed me. She was my other half.

When I looked at Bella again she had this smile on her face that I just couldn't place. You know that kind where someone looks at you with their head cocked to the side with that strange little smile playing on their lips? Yeah that was the smile Bella had on her face right now. It was kind of freaking me out a little bit.

"What"? I asked suddenly and Bella giggled. Instead of answering me though she asked me something else.

"Do you love her Jake"?

The question caught me off guard for a minute. Then I felt warm and calm, almost like I didn't have a fucking care in the world. I smiled.

"Yes". I answered honestly. "Before the imprint and even more now. The imprint didn't change a damn thing; it just strengthened what we already had. I love her Bells, with every part of my being and I honestly couldn't imagine my life without her at all".

Bella gave me a huge smile and leaned forward a bit and grabbed my hand in her own. She stared at our intertwined fingers for a minute. She had always been captivated by the big contrast between our skin colors. Then she looked at me and I have never seen Bella so happy.

"Then go get her Jake, go get her". She whispered.

I sat still and my limbs wouldn't move an inch. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't scared. I was terrified. I didn't know what I would do if she denied me again. I needed her like I needed air to breathe and I was afraid that I had already fucked up things so badly that they couldn't be fixed.

"What if she doesn't want me"? I asked and I couldn't help feeling a bit self-conscience.

Bella squeezed my hand a bit and place a soft kiss to my forehead.

"I see how you look at each other. That girl loves you just as much as you do her, she won't deny you. You can't live without your heart".

I exhaled deeply and pulled Bella close for a hug. I knew she was right. I needed to make things right. I needed my imprint back.

I pulled back a bit and gave Bella a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Bells, for everything".

She laughed and moved back to sit completely in her chair.

"Anything I could do to help Jake, just let me know".

I kept my fingers intertwined with hers and brought her hand to my lips so that I could place a kiss on the back of it.

"You just being here for me have been more than enough". I told her quietly and she smiled.

I stood to my feet. I had a lot of things to handle before I finally went and handled my situation with Naomi. I wanted to get everything that didn't have anything to do with her out the way, so that my time with her could be uninterrupted.

"Are you sure you have to leave today Bells"? I asked. "Having you back in town kind of feels just like old times".

Bella gave me another smile before she stood as well, taking our cups from the table to the sink.

"Unfortunately yeah I do, I have finals coming up and I need to finish off some other things before the semester is up".

Her back was still facing me when I came up and wrapped my arms around her. I heard her sigh and she leaned back into me. I buried my nose in her hair and breathed in. Bella would always be my friend, my best friend. She just didn't hold that huge part of my heart anymore. Someone else had taken her place.

"I hope that you will call more now, don't be a stranger Bells".

She turned around in my arms and wrapped her own around my waist, her head resting on my chest.

"I promise that I will". She looked up at me and gave me a small smile.

"You better go Jake, you have things to do".

I placed a kiss to her forehead and pulled back a little.

"I'm going to miss you". I said quietly, pushing some hair away from her face. "Are you leaving now"?

Bella grabbed my hand that was near her cheek and held it there, leaning into it.

"I have to take care of something here before I go, but then I'm leaving". She paused for a minute. "I'm going to miss you too Jake".

I smiled and gave her another kiss on the head before I started to make my way towards the door. I wanted to stay, but had things to do. A part of me would always be connected to Bella, just because our history ran far too deep. But now my mind and my heart were completely with someone else.

"See ya Bells". I said, walking out Charlie's back door.

Even though I hadn't stayed to see Bella respond, I heard the soft "bye Jake" as the door closed behind me. I smiled.

* * *

I had called a meeting with my pack for later in the afternoon and I was seated on my porch, tossing up a football idly in the air while I waited for them. It had been a grueling month and half fighting with the council about the pack's imprinting issues and in the end I told them exactly what they could do.

I told them that they could all kiss my ass, every last inch of it.

They were all (minus my dad of course and Sue) hypocrites. Not only was Sam's imprint Emily, not a wolf, she wasn't Quileute either. I hadn't noticed this little tad bit of information before, because I was just that pissed off, but once I did, it didn't make my anger about everything any better. I liked Emily, I really did, and I even held a spot for Sam, but I'll be damn if the fucking council were going to sit on their high horses and give me shit about my imprint when they didn't utter a word about Sam's.

So in words that I would rather not repeat but I'm pretty sure you can get the drift, I told them that they would either accept, not only my imprint, but Leah's and Embry's as well, or they could find there selves another Alpha, as well as two other pack members and considering that there hasn't been a vampire overload in the last two years, that was going to be pretty hard. I knew that Embry and Leah would leave if I did, especially if Naomi wasn't accepted then of course that meant neither would Aaron or Camille. They wouldn't only lose their Alpha, but also the fastest runner and the one with the sharpest eyesight. That would leave them with only three older wolves and three younger ones and no one to lead them, not the greatest of situations.

The council didn't have much of a damn choice. They gave me their blessing and said they would welcome the other tribe of wolves. I really didn't give a fuck if they gave me their blessing or not, either way I was going to be with Naomi.

A short howl brought me back to the present and I stood to my feet, my eyes searching the trees for movement. The first one to emerge was Embry and he was hoping on one foot, pulling up his sweats. Second to come through was Jared and he had both hands shoved in his pockets. Next came Seth, Collin and Brady and the three were pushing each other back and forth. I shook my head and laughed. They were constantly reminding me of Embry, Quil and myself. Finally then came Leah and Quil, with Paul following far behind. I sighed.

This was my pack; these were my brothers and sister. I knew I talked a good game, but there was no way I would ever turn my back on them. They needed me as much as I needed them. As fucked up as our situations were, we were family.

Everyone had taken up a spot on my porch. Jared had made himself comfortable in one of my chairs and Paul took up the spot next to the stairs, leaning on the railing with his arms crossed. Quil and Leah sat on the steps and as Quil told her a joke, I was surprised that Leah actually smiled. Embry, Seth, Colin and Brady were all wrestling in my front lawn and I whistled to get their attention. They all looked up at me and I threw the football in their direction. Embry caught it first but was quickly tackled by Seth and Brady. He threw it quickly to Collin who caught it and took off. I laughed. I never wanted this life, with magic and monsters. But I wouldn't trade this unity and security I had with them for nothing.

I always felt like my family was torn apart when my mom passed away, and even though my dad tried his best, he couldn't fill her shoes. I never asked to turn into a huge wolf but I couldn't have asked for a better family. Without them I would honestly be lost.

"So what's up Jackie Poo"? Jared asked and I threw a pillow at him.

"I spoke with Elders". I said quietly and both Embry and Leah looked sharply in my direction.

"What did they say Jacob"? Leah asked me, urgency evident in her voice. I couldn't help but smile.

"Calm down Lee". I said and laughed when she glared at me for using that nickname. "I basically gave them an ultimatum that they couldn't refuse".

Embry looked at me and shrugged his shoulders as if to say "go ahead". "And what was that". He asked.

I smirked. "I told them that they would either accept our imprinting on the other tribe of wolves or they would lose a part of their pack". Of course you know they would rather put up with the other pack than to tear apart their own. They accepted my offer, we're cool now".

Leah laughed somewhat hysterically and ran a hand through her hair. Quil patted her softly on the shoulder. Embry fell backwards onto my lawn on his back, a wistful little smile on his face.

Paul snorted, never once having moved from his spot.

"It's about time you put your foot down". He said quietly but I heard him all the same.

I cleared my throat, bringing my pack's attention back to me again.

"That being said, we will probably have two new members joining us shortly. Aaron and Naomi both carry the blood of the wolf through their veins and have been running alone for some time now. I think it would be a good idea to extend an invite for them to run with us. It would strengthen our numbers and it will give them a home".

I waited for this to sink in and I looked from one face to another, waiting for each to reply.

Jared stretched and stood to his feet.

"I'm down for it if you guys are". He said simply, jogging down the steps and snatching the football from Collins hands.

Collin took off after him all the while yelling over his shoulder that he also thought the idea was cool.

"I think it's a good idea Jake". Seth said smiling, running behind Collin. Brady gave a quick nod, siding with the other two and went to join the others out on the lawn.

I turned towards Leah, Embry and Quil and raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that they hadn't spoken yet. Embry shrugged.

"Look I'm just happy the Elders got that huge stick they had out their asses, anything we do after this is totally fine by me".

Leah got up from her spot on the stairs and came right up to me and wrapped me in a hug. The boys completely stopped and turned to stare at her with dropped jaws. Seeing her smile was one thing, but seeing her outwardly and physically showing emotion was a completely different issue.

"Thanks Jake, for everything". She whispered quietly and I knew she didn't really care if the guys heard her at all.

I laughed and awkwardly hugged her back.

"No problem Lee, just don't be getting all soft on me".

Leah stepped back from me and gave me a smack to the head and I quickly ruffled her hair. I knew how much this meant to her because it meant just that much to me.

Quil jumped off the porch and purposely landed on Embry. He laughed like an idiot and ran around my front yard, Em right on his heels, swearing at him loudly, Leah went after them. Paul pushed off the railing and started to follow but I stopped him.

"Hey Paul, wait up".

He stopped but never turned to face me. I came to stand beside him and I shoved my hands into my pockets.

"Look I just wanted to say thank you. Thanks for opening my eyes to certain things that I needed to see and for telling me what an ass I was being".

Paul laughed and gave me a slap on the back.

"No problem man and no hard feelings. You have a thick head that sometimes needs drilling into".

I laughed. I definitely was a hard-headed individual. Paul cleared his throat.

"I meant what I said though Jake. Take care of her and don't always over think everything all the time. For reasons beyond me, that girl loves you; just try not to fuck up too much".

He gave me another slap on the back and a smile before he went and joined the others in a quick game of football. I knew deep down Paul always meant well, even when his actions sometimes didn't show it. If it came down to it though, he would do any and everything for one of his pack members, no questions asked. It was just in his nature to be a dick.

We stayed and horsed around for a good minute, laughing and joking around in a way that we haven't in a long time and at the end we had agreed to throw our own bonfire to somewhat welcome the other wolves into our pack. It was definitely a sign of the times.

But before long, I was finally ready to fix things between Naomi and myself.

I saw the guys off and went and got myself cleaned up, throwing on a pair of clean jeans and a nice casual button up shirt. I haven't worn the shirt in quite some time so the sleeves were kind of tight on my arms, so I rolled the sleeves up to my elbows to give myself some movement. I grabbed my bike and reeved the engine and pushed it forward, skidded loudly out of my driveway.

It didn't take me long to reach Naomi's house and I cut my bike and hopped off, parking it right by the garden out front. Some of my hair had falling loose from my hair tie from the ride but I didn't bother with it. Naomi liked it a bit messy any way. I heard the front door open and I turned around, expecting to see the beautiful woman I had come here for.

What I saw though nearly gave me a fucking heart attack.

Bella was walking out of Naomi's front door. _**Bella was walking out NAOMI'S front door**__**. **_And by the looks on both their faces, whatever conversation they had, must not have gone well.

Holy fucking shit! When it doesn't rain, it pours. What the hell was I going to do now!

* * *

_**A/N: Please forgive me for the uber long wait for an update. Life has been a bit crazy for me as of late and my spirits have been a little low. But I'm doing fine now and I hope you guys are still with me. We are coming to the end and I would be interested to know if you guys wanted a sequel or if you had another idea for a story I could do. Let me know what you're thinking. As always please review, it makes me oh so happy. MN**_


	38. What are friends for?

_***What are friends for?***_

_**Naomi's POV**_

Jake said he imprinted on me. He imprinted. Imprint.

That word had scared the crap out of me ever since Jake told me what it meant. It meant Jacob no longer had a choice about loving me. He _had _to love me, whether he wanted to or not. I was the center of his universe now, his reason for even existing.

Call me crazy, but I didn't want all of that on my shoulders.

I didn't want Jacob to be tied down by me. Sure I wanted us to try and explore a more intimate relationship, but if it didn't work out I wanted Jake to be able to move on with someone else.

But he never would be able to. He wouldn't stop loving me.

For one fleeting second, I thought about telling Jacob that I only wanted to be his friend, thinking that I could loosen up the binds of the imprint. But I knew that would never work.

No matter how mad I was at Jake, no matter how bad he pissed me off, I loved him. Loved him more than I even thought I could. He gave my life purpose again and it was going to be hard to let that go.

I didn't know what I was going to do. On one hand, I didn't like the idea of imprinting any more than Jake did, but on the other hand, deep down I didn't mind having Jake devoted to me.

I know, horrible wasn't it?

I sat at our kitchen table alone, with a cup a tea sitting in front of me. I was hoping the tea would somewhat revive me out my slump but it didn't. My hair was a thick, wavy mass of mess, and I sighed and pushed a rebellious strand out my face. I hadn't been sleeping or eating so I was pretty sure I didn't look all that hot.

But I didn't care. It wasn't like I was planning on having any company anytime soon.

I banged my head on the table and left it there. Why did things have to be so damn difficult?

I heard footsteps come into the kitchen but never bothered to look up and see who it was. I really didn't care.

"You have to stop sulking around like this Naomi, it's not attractive". Camille said, and even if I wasn't looking, I knew she was shaking her head at me. I just groaned in response.

Camille sucked her teeth and slammed something heavy on the table. I didn't even jump.

"Get up off your ass and go make up with that boy so both of you can stop walking around here like the world's about to end". She said, a little bit loudly and I tilted my head a bit so that I could look at her.

"Jake lied to me Camille, about everything. Sometimes I feel like I want this more than he does".

I heard Camille sigh before a chair was being pushed back and she was sitting at the table with me.

"Jacob did what he thought was right at the time. Was it stupid? Yeah it was, but you can't fault the guy for trying to give you a choice. A chance to walk down a path that you chose yourself, instead of doing something because something else is telling you to".

I sat up straight and looked at my sister indignantly.

"How can you say that"? I asked. "Embry never told you what happened either. He only told you about the imprint because you asked him about it and he couldn't deny you anything. He didn't have a choice, he had too".

To my surprise, Camille smiled.

"Yeah your right, he didn't tell me either". She said quietly, but she continued to stare at me. "Just like Jacob, Em wanted to give me a choice. He wanted me to have a chance to get to know who he was because I wanted too and not because the imprint was forcing me too.

Camille laughed a little and took a sip of my tea.

"These Quileute boys are all about their free will". She said and laughed again, now completely taking over my cup of tea.

I shook my head and ran my fingers through my horrific mass of waves and tangles.

"I don't even know what to say to him anymore. It's like everything is so screwed up now".

Camille drained my tea and got up from her seat to walk over to the sink and started a wash. She looked at me over her shoulder.

"Don't think about what to do little one". She said, giving me a small smile. "Go with your instincts".

I couldn't help a smile myself and just was wondering if Camille actually knew what my instincts were telling me to do; she would say it wasn't lady like in the least.

I wanted to tear that man apart. Literally. I wanted to rip whatever clothes he had on to pieces and devour him.

So un-lady like right? I mean can you really honestly blame me?

The kitchen was silent for a minute, Camille washing dishes and me wallowing in my own self-pity, when all of a sudden the doorbell rang. Camille looked over at me, waiting to see if I was going to get it and when I made absolutely no move to get up, she huffed and turned off the water, wiped off her hands and walked out the kitchen. I sat there playing absently with a strand of my hair when my sister called my name. I looked towards the direction of her voice and my heart started thumping wildly in my chest.

What if that was Jacob at the door? What would I say to him?

I shot out my seat and flew towards the front door, my heart going a million miles per hour with anticipation.

But the person standing at our front door wasn't Jake at all. In fact the person was a SHE, and I had absolutely no idea what the fuck she wanted.

* * *

_**Bella's POV**_

I knew what made me decided to visit Naomi before I left, and that resolve stayed with me the entire ride to her house. But when I rang the doorbell and the person I had come to see stepped to the door with the fiercest scowl I have ever witnessed, that resolve broke.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea in the world.

I wanted to make sure that Jake had a good shot to fix things before I left. I was ecstatic that he was finally able to move on with his life. I was very disappointed with myself for not noticing sooner that Jacob was my natural path but maybe it was better this way.

I had hurt him and I didn't deserve him at all. I wasn't going to be the reason that kept someone from being able to feel how incredibly good it felt to be loved by someone like Jake because he was still tied to me. No, he had let me go and I was going to do the same. That didn't stop him from being my best friend, and I was determined to keep that particular bond strong between us, no matter what.

I was getting more nervous by the second the longer Naomi stood there glaring at me. The older woman behind her who was almost a splitting image of Naomi spoke to her quietly in a language I wasn't familiar with but I assumed it was Native. Naomi gave her a very subtle nod of her head and responded back but never took her eyes off me. The woman spoke again before she gave me a calculating look and strolled back away from the doorway and down the hall.

I got the distinct feeling that I wasn't really welcomed and I almost turned around on the spot and walked away. But I thought of Jake and if I could do anything at all to help him, I would.

Naomi crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the doorway, but never utter a word and I assumed she was waiting to hear what I had to say. I cleared my throat.

"Um…hey Naomi, I'm Bella but I guess you already know that".

My voice sounded weak even to my ears and Naomi's eyes roamed the length of my body almost as if she was trying to size me up. My nervousness was bumped up ten more notches. I mean Naomi wasn't that much bigger than I was, her standing maybe an inch or two taller than me and our body types were somewhat similar. Her size wasn't what freaked me out. It was this aura she had around her, like she could and would kick the shit out of anything and anyone who pissed her off.

And so far, I kept getting the feeling that I was inching closer to being her next target.

"I know who are, the question that's plaguing me is why you are here"? Naomi asked her voice even and calm.

I swallowed. I knew what I was going to say next would probably tick her off something vicious.

"I'm actually here because of Jake".

Yup, sure enough Naomi's frame started to shake ever so slightly and I swore her eyes flashed amber.

Oh holy fucking hell, what the fuck was I getting myself into? Before this got any more out of control, I raised my hands up in front of me.

"Ok, before you jump to any conclusions, it's really not what you're thinking. I'm here in his defense and hopefully want be able to help you understand him a little bit more".

Naomi's frame stopped shaking but she was still glaring at me.

"Are you trying to say that I don't know Jacob as well as you do"? She asked and I choked.

"No, that's not what I meant at all. I was just saying that Jacob has been talking to me and I thought it was time you know what's going through his head".

Naomi was still glaring a hole into my face but something in her expression changed. Without saying a word, she inclined her head towards the open doorway behind her and I took that as a sign to come in. I gave her a tentative smile and walked passed her, silently praying that she wouldn't take my head off when I wasn't looking.

Naomi reminded me a lot of Leah and I briefly wondered if they were friends. What a pair those two would make. She walked passed me and I followed her down a thin hallway and we emerged in the kitchen. The lady who answered the door earlier was standing at the sink. She looked at us over her shoulder and gave me that same calculating look as before.

I still didn't know what the heck that was about.

Naomi took a seat at the small table and I followed, only because I didn't know what else to do. The woman at the sink had grabbed a couple glasses and looked back over her shoulder at me again.

"Would you like some tea Bella"? She asked and I was momentarily left speechless.

I had no idea how she knew my name because I was pretty certain I didn't give it to her when I first rang the doorbell. Maybe she had heard it when me and Naomi were talking. I gave her a polite smile and a quick nod.

"Yes please, that would be great".

The woman gave me a smile in return and I was starting to feel a little bit less on edge. But when I turned back towards Naomi, that smile quickly faded at the look on her face.

Whatever grudge she had on me was definitely running strong.

The woman placed a cup of steaming tea in front of me and I thanked her quietly. She gave me another smile and a casual shrug.

"My name's Camille by the way and it's no problem. I'll just leave you girls to talk".

Camille walked over to Naomi and placed a kiss to her forehead, saying something quietly in the Native tongue I heard before. Naomi gave her a smile and turned to watch her leave. Then those eyes were on me again and I swallowed.

"So what is it that you want to tell me _Isabella_"? She asked and I flinched a bit at her using my full name. I knew she was trying to get to me and I would be lying if I said it wasn't working. But I was here for Jake.

I took a deep breath and mentally willed myself to continue.

"Jacob misses you Naomi and he feels terrible about how everything had gone down. He knows it was wrong for him to keep the imprint from you, but he did it with good intentions".

Naomi stared at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Did you know about the imprint before all this"? She asked me and I was somewhat confused.

"Yeah I did, why do you ask"?

Naomi shook her head slowly and gave a very light laugh.

"I can't believe it". She said softly. "I can't believe that he would tell you about our being imprinted before he would even tell me. I can't understand him".

Naomi stood up abruptly from her chair so fast that It scared the hell out of me. She walked over to the sink and leaned on it for support, her shoulders shaking slightly.

Ok, so maybe I shouldn't have told her that I knew about the imprint before she did. But how was I supposed to know?

I stood up quickly myself, hoping I could salvage this before it got any worse.

"Look Naomi, Jacob was trying to give you a choice. Ever since he learned about imprinting he's hated it. He always talked about falling in love with someone by his own free will. He was terrified for that free will to be taken away from him".

I stepped a little bit closer and dared to place a hand on Naomi's shoulder and I was surprised when she didn't shrug it off. Okay, maybe this was going a little bit better.

"Jacob loves you". I whispered. "So much so that he thinks about what's best for you first before he even thinks about himself. He wanted you to decide what you wanted for yourself, and not because something was telling you to do otherwise".

Naomi took in a deep sigh and when she turned a bit to look at me over her shoulder, she smiled.

"I guess you do know him a little bit better than I do".

I shook my head, allowing a small smile to come my lips as I sat back down at the table.

"Yeah, well I've known Jake for a while and that man is pretty freaking head strong when it comes to something he wants".

Naomi turned around to face me completely and she folded her arms across her chest. She never sat back down. She looked at me, but this time it wasn't such a menacing glare as it was before.

"I do love him Bella". She said her voice strong and convincing. "I love him with everything that I am; I just don't know how to deal with all this".

I gave her a nod. I completely understood what she meant.

"I know and that's okay, but maybe you two can figure it out together".

Naomi gave me a small smile and I smiled back in return. She even gave a soft little chuckle.

"Looks like we talked him up". She said and inclined her head towards the direction of the window.

I listened and I heard the low rumble of Jake's bike. I laughed a bit because I'm pretty sure Naomi heard it way before I did. I stood to my feet and walked over to place my cup into the sink. I know I didn't really have to do it but I wanted too.

"Well I guess that's my cue to leave". I said, picking up my purse. "I have a long drive ahead of me and I need to get with it".

Naomi smiled and there was this mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Can you imagine what's going to go through his head when he sees you leaving"? She asked and I couldn't help but feel that she was somewhat giddy about that. I laughed.

"Yeah, he will probably have a complete heart attack; I didn't exactly tell him I was coming either".

Naomi bounced on her toes.

"I say we play it up a little bit, see him squirm".

I had to admit I liked this girl's thinking. Why couldn't we have a bit of fun?

"Let's do it, I'm down".

Naomi squealed and the tough, hard exterior she had before completely went away and I had a feeling this was the person she was all the time.

Before I could take a step towards the front door, she pulled me into a hug and I was shocked for all of two seconds before my arms came up to hold her.

"Thanks Bella for the talk, I needed that. You are a good friend and Jake is lucky to have you".

I smiled to myself and pulled back away from her. At least this trip hadn't been as disastrous as I thought it would be. I got to help out Jake and to me that was a mission accomplished.

When we opened the door to walk out we both worked our faces into frowns, having to calm the giggles right before Jake saw us. The look on his face was priceless and I had to practice a whole lot of self-control not to burst out in laughter. Jake looked like he just seen his worst nightmare and while I felt a little bad about leading him on, I would be lying if I said this wasn't a tad bit fun.

I turned towards Naomi and gave her a quick little smirk before I stalked down the steps and stomped over to my car, hoping that I was portraying a convincing enough performance. I was never a good liar.

Before I could get my car door open, Jake was standing right at my side and he scared the shit out of me. All these damn supernatural people and their freakish speed was something I would never get use too.

"My God Jacob, you scared me". I squeaked, placing a hand over my heart.

Jacob didn't even bother to comment and as his ebony eyes stared holes into my face, I almost forgot the role I was supposed to be playing.

"Bella, what are you doing here"? He asked a hint of panic evident in his voice.

Oh, yeah that's right. I was supposed to be angry and pretend that me and Naomi had a fight. I put my frown back in place.

"I came to have a talk about something's regarding you". I said simply.

Jake closed his eyes and groaned. I know he was going over worse case scenarios in his head.

"What did you say to her Bella"? He asked, his voice shaking slightly.

I smiled. I could no longer put him through anymore torture. I moved forward quickly and wrapped my arms around him, closing my eyes as I took in his scent. It would be a while before I got to hug him again.

"She loves you Jake". I whispered to him. "And that's really all that matters".

I pulled away and gave my bewildered friend a kiss on the cheek before I turned around and got into my car. Jake was still standing there when I began to pull off. I gave him a smile and wave which he returned slowly.

I drove away from my sun then. Hoping and praying that at least I could do something that gave him the happy ending that he's always deserved.

* * *

_**A/N: Hoped you guys enjoyed. Please as always, I would appreciate it if you left me a review. I so do love reading those. Next chapter will hopefully be up this week. I have to agree with you guys, Jake and Naomi has been through enough, now it's time for the makeup. Thanks for reading.**_


	39. Just Us

_***Just Us***_

_**Jacob's POV**_

I stood and watched until Bella's car had driven farther and farther down the dirt road and I didn't stop staring after her until she had turned the corner and I could no longer make out the sound of her engine. I couldn't help the small smile that stayed on my face.

No matter what had happened in the past Bella would always be Bella, even if she had taken a road that I wasn't really that fond of. But because she chose the path that she did, it allowed me to find my own way as well, paving a new road and journey that was completely my own and I had to say that I enjoyed every moment of it.

Funny, how things tend to work out sometimes.

With my hands in my pockets, I turned around and my eyes fell on the woman I had come here for. Naomi was staring at me intensely. She wasn't smiling but she wasn't frowning either. Her expression was completely platonic. I guess in a way that was a good thing.

Slowly I began to make my way towards her, my sneakers kicking up dirt as I walked. Naomi hesitated for a minute before she moved too, walking down the front steps and coming to meet me. We both stood somewhat awkwardly in the front garden, neither one of us really knowing what to say. I gave her a small smile when I caught her looking at me and she turned away quickly, biting her lip and blushing furiously. I chuckled softly.

"Come on and take a walk with me". I said quietly, extending my hand out towards her.

Naomi stared at my hand for what seemed like forever and I was half way expecting her to not take it. She seemed like she was having some kind of internal struggle with herself.

Then ever so slowly she raised her hand and placed it softly in my outstretched one. I squeezed hers ever so slightly when I felt the small electric shock shoot up my arm on contact. I know she had felt it too because her breathe caught at the touch. I smiled. No matter what, I could always get a reaction from her.

I turned us around and began walking towards the forest. I knew exactly where I wanted to go and deep down I think Naomi knew as well. I led us forward, keeping a good grip on the small, hand I held in my own. We didn't talk but it was a comfortable silence and I was content on just listening to her breathing.

It didn't take us long to reach our destination and when I stole a peek at Naomi from the corner of my eyes, she was smiling a bit. This would forever be our spot, our special place that would always remind us where we met. I knew Naomi felt at peace when she was here, but for some strange reason so did I. Maybe it was because of the imprint and anything that was tied to Naomi was now tied to me but I think my connection with this place happened way before then.

"Bella's kind of weird isn't she"?

Naomi's soft voice brought me out of my own thoughts and I turned to face her. Her back was to me and she was facing the small stream, the same one I had found her swimming in when we first met.

"Yeah she's good with weird" I said quietly and I heard Naomi laugh.

"She's a good friend Jacob, you should feel lucky". She said.

I stepped a little bit closer to her, only enough so that now I was standing behind her but not close enough to touch her.

"I know I am, in so many more ways than just one".

Naomi looked at me from over her shoulder and smiled. I returned it. She bent down then and started to remove the sandals that were on her feet. She moved them to the side and took a seat in the edge of the stream, sticking her feet in the clear water.

I studied her for a moment, watching the way her hair fell around her neck and shoulders before I moved to join her, kicking off my sneaks.

We didn't utter a single word for a while and I kept stealing glances at her, trying to find a right way to say the things that I knew I needed to. I sighed. I opened my mouth to speak but got cut off.

"Does it always feel like this"?

I was caught off guard with her question and I turned to look at Naomi completely.

"What are you talking about honey"?

Naomi gave a little cough and glanced at me briefly before she quickly averted her eyes to the water in front of us. I didn't know why she was acting so shy but it was kind of cute.

"I'm talking about the imprint. Is it going to always feel like this"?

Without meaning to I moved closer, ducking my head so that I could look in her face.

"What does it feel like sweetheart"? I asked softly.

Naomi turned her head farther away from me and this time I caught her chin and forced her to look at me. Her eyes found mine and for just a second I was left speechless.

"Tell me what you're feeling"? I urged gently

Naomi stared at me for a while and it was almost like she couldn't get enough of my face, like she was trying to etch my features into her subconscious. Then she took a deep breath.

"I have felt like complete shit for the last few days, excuse my language". She laughed and I smiled urging her to continue. "It wasn't until just now, well maybe a couple of minutes before, that I have felt so completely at ease, so calm, almost as if….".

She didn't finish but she didn't have too. I knew exactly what she was going to say. I had been feeling the same way. My body was aching and my mood swings would put a teenage girl to shame. It wasn't until I got to see Naomi that I started to feel okay, in fact better than okay. It was like the iron fist that was holding my heart and lungs captive had suddenly let go and I could breathe again.

I took her hand again in my own and intertwined our fingers, staring at them. She was a little bit darker than I was and I loved it. Back in the day, it was pale skin that always got my heart pumping, now I was in love with the mocha chocolate beauty sitting right here beside me.

Naomi was staring at our hands as well, a small smile playing around her full lips. I needed to feel them again; I wanted to feel them again. It had been way to fucking long.

I used my free hand to gently tilt her chin so that I was now looking into her eyes. I could still see some confusion and doubt shining in them but I wanted a chance to erase it.

"Honey". I whispered. "Please say that you will give this a chance, give us a chance. I know this is new and downright fucking terrifying but I'm asking you to just give it a shot".

I was begging, I know I was but I was feeling desperate. I needed Naomi to give this a try because I honestly didn't know what I would do if she turned and walked away.

She raised her hand a touched the side of my face. I leaned into her, my eyes closed. God, how I had missed that. My eyes flew open when I felt her soft lips come into contact with mine. Her kiss was gentle and it was brief. She pulled away before I had a chance to respond. She was blushing but she never looked away from me.

"I love you Jacob Ephraim Black and there's nothing more I would love to do than to give us a chance". She brought our hands up to her lips and gave mine a soft kiss. "I've missed you and I think I will go crazy if you leave me again".

I smiled because I felt the same fucking way. If I went any longer without her I was going to crack. I leaned forward and placed my head on hers, closing my eyes and just allowing myself to feel.

"I love you too sweetheart". I whispered. "With everything that I have, you have no idea how much".

I felt Naomi take my face in both her hands and I opened my eyes to look at her. She had a huge smile on her face and her eyes were shimmering with tears.

"I think I have an idea". She said gently and then touched her lips to mine.

This time I didn't wait to respond. I wrapped my arms around her and moved her into my lap, forcing her to place her legs on each side of my hips. Her hands moved up my arms to my shoulders where she gripped them. Then she moved them up to my hair, to the hair tie I had in to hold it together. It snapped in her fingers and my hair fell around my shoulders. Naomi giggled against my lips. I moved downward, tracing small kisses down the sensitive skin of her neck.

"You must really like my hair". I mumbled, my mouth occupied with something that I really didn't want to stop doing.

Naomi laughed again and did something that caught me completely off guard. She gripped my hair tightly and pulled my head back sharply. The wolf inside me roared and a growl rumbled deeply in my chest. This woman was going to kill me.

Naomi trailed her nose down the length of my neck all the way back up to my jaw. She moved slowly up my cheek until she reached my ear.

"You have no idea how much". She whispered and then gave my ear a little nip.

I fucking lost it.

Without so much as a single thought, I flipped us around, Naomi letting out a surprised shriek as she landed on her back. I smirked down at her.

"You're going to pay for that honey". I threatened playfully and that's when I smelt it.

Her arousal hit me full force and I growled without meaning to. My wolf was rising to the surface of my self-control and the woman beneath me was only making it worse. I leaned closer and placed my face in her neck, breathing in her scent and kissing the junction between her shoulder and jaw. I trailed kisses up Naomi's neck to her cheek then to the sensitive area behind her ear. I grinned when she inhaled sharply.

"I can smell you sweetheart; I can smell how much you want me".

When I pulled back to look at her, I was surprised to see that she wasn't blushing but she was biting her bottom lip. Although it wasn't out of nerves, like how it normally was. Instead she was looking at me differently. I couldn't place it but I was almost certain it was a look that clearly meant she was turned on.

_Holy Shit._

Naomi gave me a mischievous little grin and raised her hips to bump into my own. I groaned.

"And I can feel you Jacob". She said. "I can feel how much you want me".

I chuckled softly, rubbing my nose against hers.

"Touché Cheri". I said before I couldn't take it anymore and captured her lips.

She gave a soft little moan wrapped her arms around my neck, bringing me closer and deepening our kiss. We both fought for control but with a few little nibbles in the right places, Naomi finally gave in and allowed me to do as I pleased. I couldn't get enough of her and I didn't want too. I wanted to stay just how we were. Just the two of us and nobody else.

After a while, I pulled away and had to smile at the pout that was on Naomi's face. She was just too fucking cute for her own good.

I sighed and pulled away from her to sit back up. I needed to tell her something but I didn't know how to say it. Naomi followed my movements and sat up as well and from the corner of my eyes I saw her fixing her clothes.

"Jake? What's wrong"? She asked, sensing the change in my attitude.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to ease the nervousness that had suddenly made an appearance. I needed to get this off my chest.

Without answering her, I turned towards Naomi and took both her hands in my own.

"I need you honey, so fucking bad that it hurts". I turned away for a minute, swallowing hard against the rise of emotions in my throat. "I don't ever want to let you go". I continued. "But I will if you don't want me to hold on".

I had to blink rapidly a few times to keep the flood gates away. I didn't know what was coming over me.

_C'mon Black, get a goddamn grip on _yourself_._

Naomi gave me a small smile and moved to once again sit herself in my lap. My hands gripped her hips tightly and I closed my eyes when I felt her hands caressing my hair. I opened them again when her hands moved to hold my face.

"Then don't let me go Jake". She whispered. "I'm here for you and only you and I'm not going to let you go anywhere".

I smiled and bumped my nose to her own, earning a little giggle.

"Can I keep you"? I asked, feeling like a thirteen year old boy again. I felt good in a way, almost as if I had no worries at all.

Naomi laughed again and gave me a nod.

"Yes you can, only if I get to keep you too".

The grin that spread across my face felt like it would split it in two. I raised my hand and traced a finger down her face to her chin, watching as her eyes closed from my touch. Then I pulled her close and took her lips, feeling them move softly with my own, tasting her. I pulled back only a little bit, a small smirk on my face as I watched her eyes flutter back open again.

"Then, I'm yours".

* * *

_**A/N: So incredibly sorry for the long wait for this chapter. Took me a minute to get my thoughts together for this but it came together. We are coming to the end of this story and I'm not quite sure if it will be over in the next two chapters or if I will take it to three, but either way we are reaching the end. I'm just so stoked about the response I'm getting from this story and it makes me want to do another one. Hoped you all liked the Chapter and please review. It makes me feel all good inside. MN****_


	40. All I've ever wanted

_***All I've ever wanted***_

_**Naomi's POV**_

For someone who has been on the worst emotional roller-coaster known to man, I have to say that right know I couldn't be any more thrilled.

My relationship with Jake had finally turned down a road that we were both pleased with. We went about things as we normally would, almost as if there wasn't an imprint present. While at times we both felt the pull, we still didn't allow that to make us act differently.

Being in a relationship with Jacob was a breath of fresh air. Everything with him came so naturally, as if all along, he was made for me and I for him. I loved him and honestly couldn't picture my life without my wolf.

I had worked late again at the bookstore and I couldn't wait to get off because Jake was coming to pick me up. When I went a whole day without seeing him, the imprint pull was at its strongest. It was something I meant to ask Jake about, but I was almost certain that the longer you were away from your imprint, the stronger that pull would be.

I hurried and snatched up my bag, said a few quick goodbyes to my coworkers and dashed out the door. I smiled when I spotted the only person I wanted to see.

Jake was leaning casually against his car, arms crossed against his chest looking every bit of the masculine God that he was. When he spotted me, he smiled and I felt my body begin to melt. I couldn't help myself when I started running towards him.

Jake laughed when my body connected with his and I wrapped my arms snugly around his waist, bury my face in his chest and taking a deep breath.

God! I would never ever get tired of the way this man smelled.

"I've missed you". I mumbled into his shirt but I knew he heard me none the less.

Jacob laughed again but I felt his arms come up to hold me.

"I've missed you too sweetheart. We really have to work on this whole not seeing each other for a day thing".

I laughed and unglued my face from Jake's shirt so that I could look at him. He was so handsome in his own way and I loved every inch of it. He lifted a hand to my face and gently moved some hair from my face. The way he was looking at me just stirred something inside and I stood up on my toes and touched my lips with his.

Jake groaned into my mouth and moved his free arm back to my waist and pulled me against him. I threw my arms around his neck, deepening our kiss in the process. Not only did I love the way Jake smelled but I also couldn't get enough of the way he tasted. I was pretty sure I was going to overdose on having too much Jake.

I never wanted to stop kissing him and it didn't seem Jake did either, but a throat was cleared and we pulled apart.

"Well aren't we putting on a show".

I recognized my coworker Nicole's voice without having to turn around. I buried my face in Jake's chest again but this time it was out of embarrassment. I heard Nicole giggle behind me.

"Oh, it's nothing you have to be ashamed of Na, I'm not a very good girl myself".

I groaned but it was drowned out by Jacob's laughter.

"Is that so? Well I have some friends who aren't really good boys either".

I looked up at Jake and he gave me a quick wink before he extended his hand out towards Nicole.

"I'm Jacob but you can call me Jake".

Nicole laughed and placed her hand in his. "I'm Nicole but you can call me Nic". She said, giving Jake a grin and a wink.

I couldn't do anything but shake my head.

Most girls would have taken Nicole as a threat and would have been angry with Jacob for the way he was interacting with her, but I knew better. That's just the way Nic interacted with _everyone_. That girl was just a big flirt and didn't mind one bit saying the first thing that came to her mind. I liked her for that very reason. If I wanted a completely honest answer than Nicole would be my person I would go too.

Nic reached out to me then and I noticed she was holding my cellphone.

"I wanted to give this to you before you left". She said. "You had left it on the counter in your rush to leave, although now I can see why ".

I laughed nervously and took my phone but not before she had got a good grip on my hand and pulled me into her.

"Where the hell have you been hiding him"? Nic whispered to me savagely. "He's fucking gorgeous".

I knew Jake could make out every single word she had said, but he had the decency to act like he hadn't, although when I looked at him from the corner of my eye, I could tell he had a smug grin on his face.

"Nic, this is the same guy I have been telling you about, this is just the first time you happen to meet him in person".

Nicole eyed Jacob for another long moment before she decided to take over herself.

"So handsome, did they make any more like you? Or are you the only one of your kind"?

Jacob laughed and placed an arm over my shoulder, kissing me on the top of my hair before he spoke.

"Well I'm sorry to say sweetheart, but I'm one of a kind. But I'm sure you might find one of my brothers interesting".

That single statement seemed to light up Nicole's whole face and I had to practice great effort not to laugh. It only took so much to make her happy and the mention of guys was one of them.

"And where do I meet these brothers at"? She asked

Jake smiled and I could feel his fingers caressing the skin underneath my shirt.

"We're having a bonfire tonight on the reservation and you're more than welcome to come, the more the merrier and I'll introduce you to some of my boys".

Nic looked like she wanted to jump for joy and as Jake wrote down the address and the time on a piece of paper, I could almost feel the excitement rolling off her. We waited until Nicole had driven away before we got into our car. I looked over at Jake as he slipped the key into the ignition.

"Are you sure that was a good idea, inviting Nicole and all? I mean she doesn't know what ya'll are and she can be pretty hard to handle sometimes".

I was nervous a bit but I could tell that Jake wasn't in the least. He just grabbed my hand and placed a kiss to the back of it.

"You're cute when you worry like that. Just relax, I'm pretty sure whoever ends up with Nic will handle her just fine".

_Oh Gosh._

* * *

The bonfire had brought tons of people, some I knew and others I didn't. This little impromptu party was held to celebrate the connection between two tribes. The Quileute's were welcoming my family into their own and just like any Native tribe, this called for a bonfire. Nicole had been here an hour before the party actually started and helped out a lot with the preparations. Emily loved her and her free and un rated spirit. Camille found her pretty entertaining as well. Leah flipping loved her. I guess because the two of them were so much alike but honestly I have never seen Leah interact with a female as much as she was with Nicole.

I tell you that girl just had that effect on people.

The party was well underway when I came back into Emily's kitchen. I had offered to help bring out some of the desserts since Emily had her hands full with her little bundle of joy. Billy was telling stories around the fire and most of the younger kids were still there. My mom had stuck around as well. She found their stories fascinating.

Even with the earlier complications and misunderstandings, the reservation here now felt like home.

I started moving around the small kitchen, gathering things that I could see and placing them on the table, preparing them to be brought outside. I turned around to grab something off the counter when I heard the door open and slam shut.

"I'm moving as fast as I can guys, I only have two hands". I said out loud, laughing a bit because I thought it was Quil or Embry coming to bug me about being too slow.

When I turned around though, it was neither Quil nor Embry that stood in the doorway.

Jake stood in Emily's door way with both hands on either side of him gripping the door frame. He was staring at me like I was something to eat and instead of that scaring the heck out of me it did quite the opposite.

"Jake"? I called to him, my voice raising just an octave higher.

He didn't answer me. In fact the only sound that came from him was a low growl. That's when I took in his eyes.

Instead of being the soothing ebony color I was so use too, they were amber. I knew right then and there that Jake's wolf was slowing taking him over.

So when he rushed towards me, I didn't even hesitate. I threw whatever it was that I had in my hands to the side just in time before Jake's body crashed into my own and his lips attacked mine. His hands were everywhere and I couldn't help the tiny moan that pushed itself up my throat. His fingers were strong as they gripped the skin of my back underneath my shirt, moving down farther until they gripped my hips slightly before he moved both hands to my butt where he got a whole handful and lifted me off my feet and held me against him.

My hands flew to his neck where I held on, my fingers gripping his shoulders. Jacob moved us towards the counter and with one large sweep of his arm everything that had occupied that space was now falling to the floor in a clattering heap. He swiftly plopped me down and continued his attack on my mouth. I felt his hand move from my hip, up my back to my neck where I felt his fingers playing softly in my hair. Then without warning, Jacob gave my hair a swift tug and my head was forced backwards, exposing my neck. I let out a surprised squeak that quickly turned into a moan when I felt his warm lips come into contact with the sensitive skin there.

The way Jake was kissing and nibbling on my skin had me whimpering uncontrollably. The things this man could do simply with his mouth were amazing. His lips moved from my neck back up to my lips where he kissed me for a few more seconds before he pulled away and laid his head on my own, both our breathing ragged and uneven.

Jacob stared at me with an intensity that almost made my panties melt off right then and there. He gave me a soft smile.

"I'm sorry honey, but the imprint, the urges are getting worse and I just needed to be near you".

I shook my head quickly, caressing the side of his face with my hand.

"Don't be sorry Jake". I said quietly, my breathing still a little bit uneven. "I wanted you too; I really, _really _want you too".

Jake closed his eyes and groaned, dropping his head down.

"Please don't say things like that babe, its taking everything in me to not go with my instincts".

I grabbed Jake by his chin and brought his head up so that I could force him to look at me.

"Please, stop holding back Jake. I know you can tell how much I want you, how much I need you, so please stop holding back for me, I won't break baby".

Jacob stared at me for a long moment before he kissed me, hard and the forced knocked me back into the counters behind me. When he pulled back, I was left breathless again. He was good for that.

"Do you want to leave here early and come back to my place"? He asked and I honestly would have said yes to anything he asked me right about now.

"Yes".

Jake gave me a smile and placed his hands on my waist, lifting me off the counter and placing me on my feet. My body brushed his and we locked eyes. I drank in his face and gave him a smile of my own. I would never know what I did to deserve him. Jake took my hand in his own and I welcomed his heat.

"C'mon honey, let's get out of here".

I gave him a nod, wanting to do nothing but just that.

* * *

We made our casually through the bonfire, hand and hand trying not to draw any suspicion to ourselves. We didn't want to just up and leave like that, we had to make it convincing. I told Jake that I wanted to let Nicole know that I was leaving and wanted to make sure she was going to be okay.

She was standing by the punch, talking with Emily and Camille. She smiled when she spotted me coming her way.

"Hey there missy! Where have you been for last twenty minutes? I have been looking for you for a while now".

I smiled at her but refused to answer. What I did was my business.

"Look, I'm going to be leaving with Jake in a minute, are you going to be okay here by yourself"?

Nicole waved me off but her eyes were trained on something over my head.

"Yeah girl, I'll be fine". She said but was distracted and that caused me to turn around and find out what the hell she was staring at.

I spotted Paul standing not too far from us, standing with Jared, Seth and Quil. They were chatting animatedly about something but he wasn't paying attention at all. He was staring directly our way. And after a couple seconds I realized he wasn't staring at me.

I turned back towards Nicole with a small smile on my face. She wasn't looking at me though.

"I don't get it". She said. "He's been staring at me since I came over here".

I laughed, understanding what was happening even though she didn't. I grabbed her hand and pushed her towards the group and she stumbled a little.

"Go talk to him" I urged, a huge grin on my face. For the first time since I met her Nicole actually looked nervous.

I couldn't help but laugh loudly at her expression and Nicole rolled her eyes at me. I grabbed her shoulders.

"He won't bite, he's actually a pretty nice guy".

Nicole gave me a nod and turned to look at Paul again. She smiled.

"Okay, I'm going over there". She stated, gave me a quick salute and sauntered over to the group.

I stood watching her for a minute before I continued with my goodbyes. By the time I was finished, Jake was waiting for me by his car. He grinned when he spotted me.

"Hey there beautiful". He said huskily, wrapping me in his arms. "Are you ready to go"?

I gave him a kiss on the chin.

"Yeah, I am".

Jacob gave me another blinding smile before he opened my door and let me in. I sat there, trying to calm my nerves. Finally after what seemed like forever, I was going to be alone with my wolf.

* * *

We drove to Jake's house in silence; every so often he would be bring my hand to his lips for a kiss. I think it was to calm me down more than anything. If I knew Jake, I knew he could feel just how nervous I was. It didn't take us long before we were pulling up in front of Jake's house. He cut the ignition, gave me a quick smile and got out. I did the same.

We walked towards the door hand in hand and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. Jacob's house was just as beautiful as I remembered and I blushed when I recalled the last time we were here.

"Make yourself at home sweetheart". He said quietly and I jumped surprised by his voice.

"Um I'm just going to use your bathroom". I said, my voice breaking a bit.

Jake laughed and shook his head.

"Okay, it's upstairs first door on your right".

I gave him a nervous smile and a quick nod and all but ran upstairs.

When I reached the bathroom I closed the door behind me and leaned against the sink, taking in a deep breath. I didn't know why I was so nervous. I needed to get it together.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and gave myself a smile, taking off the denim shorts that I had on. I thanked the spirits that I had actually listened to my older sister and prepared for this.

"Well Jacob". I whispered quietly to myself. "I hope you're ready for me".

* * *

_**A/N: I should really go to fanfic jail for how long I made you all wait for this update and I won't be able to apologize enough about that. It's summer time and I'm almost never in the house, so I haven't done a lot of writing. Next chapter will be the last of this story and I'm pretty sure you can see what's coming (hehehe). Thanks to those that have been here since the beginning and hopefully this will not me my last story. As always please review and let me know what you all are thinking. Much love MN.**_


	41. Best thing I Never Knew I needed

*Best thing I never knew I needed*

* * *

_**Jacob's POV**_

This woman was slowly but surely driving me up a fucking wall.

The more I was around her; the harder it was to control myself. I wanted to touch her and feel her skin beneath my fingers constantly. The damn asshole raging inside me was driving me crazy and in all honesty, I was having a real hard time ignoring him. Every time I got near Naomi, my wolf screamed at me to take her, practically trying to claw his way out of my body. Sometimes I would leave the room and isolate myself in the bathroom or some other place in seclusion just so I could get my mind right.

Any other time I could ignore the sick psycho that was constantly in my sub-conscience, but now was not that time. The imprint pulled at me like an idea and the more I tried to fight it, the harder it pulled and the louder my wolf screamed at me to just give in.

I was two fucking seconds away from doing just that.

I was already to my breaking point when I had picked Naomi up for the bonfire that night. When she got into the car and filled the cab with her intoxicating scent, I almost lost it, even more so when she leaned over and kissed me. I gave her what I hope was a convincing smile but inside I was breaking and I gripped the steering wheel tightly the whole ride down to LaPush.

I don't think Naomi noticed a thing.

The bonfire was a great time with family and friends, but I wouldn't have noticed anyway. My wolf was calling me and the last ounce of restraint I possessed had finally collapsed. The only person I wanted was Naomi and I wanted her right then and right there.

The guys around me were all talking about one thing or another but I really could have cared less. I vaguely remember telling them I would be right back when I stalked off to find my imprint. The sadistic jerk off inside my head kept continually flashing images of my imprint, from her creamy skin, to her beautiful smile. I was literally hanging on by pins and needles when I finally found her.

Naomi had heard me come thru the kitchen doorway but had assumed I was either Quil or Embry bugging her about dessert. But when she turned around and finally saw it was me, something flashed across her face that made me want to rip her clothes off. I knew I had to be looking at her like she was prime cut of meat because my mouth had actually started to water at the sight of her.

I knew I was slowly losing my mind. But it was no longer Jacob Black making the conscience decisions anymore. No….good ole Wolfie was now at the forefront of my brain and he was controlling the show.

Instead of being frightened that I was practically growling at her from the doorway, she looked aroused and that was all the permission Mr. Wolf needed.

I attacked her, in every way freaking possible. I attacked her lips, her neck, her hips, her thighs and even dared to use a great deal of strength when I fisted and pulled at the silky and thick ebony hair. I just couldn't seem to get enough.

Eventually though, Wolfie was beginning to get pushed back into the background and Jacob was slowly starting to emerge back to where he belonged. That's what initially got me to stop; I had started to be able to think clearly again. But I knew that this was only going to last but for a few minutes and now that I had gotten my dose of her, I wanted to be alone.

I could feel the nervous energy coming off Naomi as she went upstairs to use my bathroom and honestly I couldn't blame her. I had basically physically attacked her back in Emily's kitchen and although I could tell she had completely enjoyed it, anything like that would make a person be on edge.

I had just finished straightening up a bit and even taken out the trash and Naomi had still not come out of the bathroom. I was starting to get a little nervous. Maybe I had been a little too aggressive with her.

I cursed myself. This was the last damn time I would be listening to the asshole every again.

I climbed the stairs halfway and stopped when the bottom of the bathroom door came into view. I listened intently for a minute, trying to make out any signs of crying or distress. I didn't hear anything so I decided to call out to her.

"Naomi, sweetheart? Is everything okay"? I called and I heard her take in a sharp breath.

"Um I'm fine". She yelled back, her voice a little unsteady. "Just getting myself together".

I raised an eyebrow. Her voice didn't sound upset, but I wasn't convinced.

"You'll tell me if something was wrong right"? I asked. "You'll tell me if I did something that upset you"?

This time when she spoke, I could tell Naomi was smiling.

"Yes I would. And don't worry, nothing is wrong. Just give me a few more minutes and I'll be out".

I smiled to myself.

"Okay honey".

I made my way back downstairs and decided to make us some drinks. I was facing my kitchen counter when I heard soft footsteps coming back down the stairs.

"Hey honey, I made us some drinks, didn't really know what you wanted but I just kind of…."

My entire sentence got caught up in my throat when I turned around and saw Naomi. This is what she must have been doing in the bathroom and I have to say did a pretty fucking awesome job. I could feel Wolfie trying to make his way back towards the surface but I pushed that son of a bitch right back down to where he was suppose to stay. I coughed to clear my throat and tried to speak but no words were coming out and I just ended up looking like an asshole with my mouth hanging open. She had left me speechless.

Naomi was standing in front of me in nothing but a pale pink bra and panty set. The bra hugged her breast perfectly and shaped her frame. The boy shorts hugged her hips and butt and accentuated her curves dangerously. I think at one point I had actually started to get lightheaded because I had stopped breathing. I couldn't think clearly and I couldn't speak. My brain had turned to mush.

Naomi gave me a smile and leaned slightly up against the kitchen doorway and it was then that I noticed her hair was loose and fell against her bare shoulders in soft waves.

_My God this woman was gorgeous!_

"Say something Jake". Naomi's soft voice called to me. She was smiling gently.

I swallowed hard and my jaw was locked shut. My brain wasn't working remember? So that meant my speech mechanism was disabled. Naomi giggled softly before she walked towards me, the movements making her hips move from side to side in a very hypnotizing way. I swallowed again.

Naomi stood in front of me and I felt her fingers grab the bottom of my shirt and they skimmed my stomach for a minute.

_Breathe Jake, Breathe._

She stood up on her toes and touched her lips to the bottom of my chin, giving me a very slow, very soft, very wet kiss. Goddamn it if this woman wasn't testing the holds of my self-control.

Naomi pulled back from me, the same seductive smirk on her lips. Then without warning, she grabbed my shirt and yanked me down to her level. She leaned forward again and placed her lips near my ear.

"I'm tired of waiting for you Jacob". She whispered, her sweet breath tickling my ear. "This is all for you and you better come and get it".

She let go of my shirt and pushed me back into a standing position. She gave me one last long look before she flipped her hair over her shoulder and sauntered out the kitchen.

This time it only took two seconds for my brain to start up again and actually process what just happened. In three long strides, I was out of the kitchen and behind the temptress that was my imprint. She wasn't expecting me to be right behind her, so when I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulder, she let out a surprised scream.

"Jacob"! Naomi half yelled, half laughed at me and she hit me over my back.

I paid her no attention.

I took my stairs two at a time and before I knew it I was closing the door to my bedroom behind me. In a not so gentle fashion, I tossed Naomi onto my king sized bed and watched her bounce up once from the force. She gave me an amused grin and she was breathing deeply.

I had turned her on with my show of roughness, I could tell. I was so attentive to her body that it was almost scary.

Carefully, I lowered myself onto the bed and hovered over her, burying my face in her neck. I kissed her softly on the skin there and grinned to myself when I heard her heartbeat pick up. Payback was such a self-satisfying thing.

"You are killing me honey". I growled quietly in her ear and faintly I began to smell the tale-tale signs of her arousal. I closed my eyes briefly, hoping to grab ahold of my sanity before it slipped completely between my fingers.

I continued trailing my kisses down her neck until I got to her chest and for a second all I wanted to do was to rip that bra completely from her body. It was obstructing my view of something I really wanted to see and I just didn't have the tolerance for it.

Wolfie talking again, not Jacob, had to subdue the asshole.

I felt Naomi squirm beneath me and I smirked. She wanted more, this I knew but as much as it pained the fuck out of me, she was just going to have to wait. I wanted to enjoy this, at least while I still held onto some ounce of humanity. Mr Wolf was fighting me with everything that he had to get out and I was slowly losing the battle.

Skillfully, l slid my hand underneath her until I reached her back and with a simple flick of my fingers, her bra came loose. She gasped and I smiled. I used that same arm to lift Naomi up a bit and moved her up the bed so that she was now lying directly in the middle. The movement caused her bra to slide off and her breasts were now exposed to me. My eyes drank in the sight of them and without thinking about it, I licked my lips.

I wanted to taste them.

Naomi blushed and began to move her arms up, in an attempt to cover herself, but I wasn't having it. I grabbed her arms in one of my hands and pinned them above her head. This caused them to poke out at me and all I could do was stare. Almost in a trance, I gently moved her bra away from her body and tossed it somewhere over my head.

Not able to take it anymore, I leaned forward and took her lips with mine, causing a soft moan to leave her. I pulled away before either one of us could really get into it.

"You are so fucking beautiful". I said, my hands beginning to roam across her body.

Naomi arched into my touch and I would never, ever get tired of the way she reacted to me.

"Please Jacob" She begged me. "Stop teasing me".

I laughed a little because she knew me all too well. I was really trying to get her back for that little stunt she had pulled in the kitchen. With difficulty, I pulled my body away from hers and stood to my feet. Without shame, I looked her over, liking how her dark skin complemented my crème bed sheets. In one swift movement, I pulled my shirt over my head and smiled at the way Naomi looked over my body.

"Like what you see sweetheart"?

Naomi's eyes finally found mine and she gave me a tiny smile.

"Always". She told me simply.

I laughed and once again lowered my body onto hers. The feel of her skin on mine sent electricity shooting through my body and I couldn't help myself when I attacked her again. It was like I couldn't get enough. I didn't want too. My lips made their way from hers down her neck again, but this time I continued farther, placing soft kisses down her shoulder to her arms.

Finally I was where I wanted to be and I didn't hesitate taking one of her nipples into my mouth.

"Jacob"! Naomi gasped loudly, her body arching upwards and I slipped an arm underneath her and held her against me, my mouth and tongue never stopping their work on her breast.

Her whimpers soon turned to deep throaty moans and I smiled against her skin. I don't know what it was but something about knowing how to please your woman and knowing what she likes, just blows a guy's ego into the sky.

I felt Naomi's hands in my hair and I decided that it was time to move on. I detached my mouth from her breast, quickly and softly kissed her other one before I made my way lower. I kissed her slim stomach, dipping my tongue into her belly button earning myself a cute little giggle. I continued down my path before the sweet, tantalizing smell of her arousal hit my nose.

I had to close my eyes and calm my breathing. All I wanted to do was rip those goddamn panties off and take what was mine. But I wanted to do this right and I wouldn't fuck up the moment by being too aggressive.

Ever so gently I hooked a finger in the waist of the delicate fabric and pulled, smiling when Naomi raised her hips automatically.

"That's my girl". I whispered softly and she laughed.

I dragged her underwear down her legs until they were finally off, and then those went flying somewhere i couldn't see. Now she was completely exposed to me and I never knew anyone else who was so beautiful.

"Goddamn". I mumbled underneath my breath. I really didn't have any more words to describe what I felt. I was never one to be rendered speechless but right now, I could be considered a mute.

I snuck a quick glance up at my woman and she was staring at me with half lidded eyes. I knew what she wanted and I was more than happy to do it. I kissed the inside of her thigh, making her leg give an involuntary shake.

"Easy honey". I whispered, teasing her for a little bit longer. I felt Naomi squirm underneath my hand that was on her stomach.

"Please Jake, please….just….._god_! She was whimpering now and I wasn't going to play with her that much longer, I just loved the sound of her voice when she was all breathless and turned on.

"Please what sweetheart? Tell me what you want"? I asked, continuing my kisses down her thigh until I reached her pelvis.

Naomi moaned and I felt her hands grip my hair tightly.

"God, Jacob please just….._holy fuck_".

The rest of her sentence was cut off with one long lick across her sex and I didn't stop until I reached her belly button. Naomi was whimpering little incoherent words and sentences and I took that as a good sign.

I continued to taste her, basically fucking her with my tongue and _holy fucking shit_ I couldn't get enough. It was taking everything in me to not just ram into her.

_Take her you know you want too_

_Take her? What the fuck? You sound like a damn caveman._

_I am what you are._

_Shut the hell up asshole, I will not allow you to fuck this up._

_Whatever, suit your-self._

I ignored the smug bastard and concentrated solely on the task I was doing. Naomi tasted fucking wonderful and I went deeper, using my fingers to separate her lips so I could have more room to work with. I gave a quick lick to her clit and chuckled to myself when her hips bucked into my face. I held her still with my hand planted firmly on her stomach and began a consistent rhythm on her sweet spot.

And then, out of nowhere there it was. The sweet, intoxicating chant of my name.

"_Oh God, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, don't stop, Jake, My Jake"._

I loved it! I loved the way my name fell off her lips and I wasn't about to have her stop.

I went deeper and Naomi's thighs squeezed my face, giving me the opportunity to grab onto her plumb ass and hold her exactly where I wanted her to be. She couldn't move an inch and I did what I wanted too.

"Oh". Naomi whimpered, her fingers pulling and tugging on my hair. I knew she was close. Her breaths were coming faster, almost as if she was panting. I picked up my pace.

"Oh shit". She moaned loudly and I was lucky that I lived by myself. Not that I would care if she was loud anyway.

I worked her clit in a steady and quick rhythm, never relenting until I felt her body tense up. Naomi let out something between a moan and a scream that quickly turned into a whimper. Her hands were gripping my hair almost painfully but I didn't care. Her orgasm shook her entire body and I kept her there with gently strokes of my tongue, taking care to not put too much pressure on her sensitive nub. When her body finally relaxed and she collapsed back onto my bed, I kissed her gently once more before I moved back up her body, wiping at my mouth and chin with the back of my hand.

I gave her a smug smile when I took in her face, all flushed and sweaty. I kissed her, deeply.

"How did I do honey"? I asked, laughing a bit when she only answered me with a moan.

I kissed her again and she took me by surprise a bit when she responded so eagerly. Naomi grabbed onto both my arms and flipped us over, now sitting on my stomach. I grinned from ear to ear and gripped her by the hips. Naomi gave me a smile and leaned down, flipping her hair to one side and giving me a soft kiss on the lips.

"Now it's my turn". She said quietly and almost instantly I became harder than I already was. But I didn't want her to do anything just because she felt obligated too.

"Honey, you don't have too its okay". I mumbled because Naomi had started trailing kisses down my chest.

She shushed me and brought her face back up to mine.

"I want too".

Naomi gave me a very seductive little smirk before she continued trailing her tongue south. All of a sudden I couldn't think, couldn't process one damn single thought. The sexy vixen on top of me had taken away my brain working ability.

I continued to feel the feather light butterfly kisses all the way down to my pelvis, where she tugged on my shorts. I refused to raise my hips and I tugged on her arms.

"C'mon honey, you really don't have too". I tried in a last ditch effort to save my manhood. If she went down there it was going to be over in minutes.

Naomi wasn't having it.

She shrugged out of my hold and in one swift movement pushed my shorts off of my hips. It was the sexist thing I had ever witnessed in my life, and I'm pretty sure Naomi could tell just that by the way I was standing at full attention.

She was looking at me intensely and I couldn't help the grin that came to my face. I definitely wasn't lacking in the size department. Naomi caught the smile on my face and gave me one of her own, before she lowered herself slowly and put herself face to face with my arousal.

It was my turn to watch _her_. My breathing became shallow as I watched the delicate pink tongue dart out from between the full lips and in one swift movement moved around the tip of my erection. My hands tangled in her hair automatically and I threw my head back onto the pillow. I guess my reaction was good sign to her because she did it again but this time she took all of me into her mouth.

"Shit". I groaned, fingers wrapping around the silky strands of her hair.

I felt Naomi moan against me and her pace picked up and I closed my eyes, praying to the sex God's that I didn't blow my shit too quickly. But it was hard, because instinct was telling me to just grab her and thrust.

I felt myself slipping and fast. Before I lost all self-respect, I gripped Naomi by her arms roughly and pulled her upward. There was a loud popping sound when her lips disconnected from me and I slammed her on her back, the bed shaking a bit from the impact. I kicked out of my shorts and pressed my body into hers, taking her hands and pinning them over her head.

"Is everything ok Jake"? "Did I do something wrong"? I could hear the worry in Naomi's voice.

I caught her lips with mine and kissed her slowly, feeling the tenseness leaving her body almost immediately.

"Everything is just fine sweetheart". I whispered softly, earning myself a little smile in return.

I gently pushed her thighs apart with my knee and positioned myself in between them. I used my free hand to hitch one of her legs onto my hip and I moved closer, the action causing the tip of me to touch her heated center. We both moaned a bit at the sensation. I didn't think I could turn back now.

While the wolf inside me was telling me to just push forward and put myself right where I needed to be, I held back. I needed Naomi to tell me that this was what she wanted. I took in a shuddering breath and leaned my head on hers.

"Is this what you want honey"? I asked gently. "I won't do anything unless it's what you want".

She gave me a small smile and leaned up and gave me a soft kiss.

"I want you". Naomi said quietly and that was all the confirmation I needed.

I gave her a long, deep kiss and at the same time I moved forward, pushing into the scorching heat that I so desperately wanted to be in. Naomi whimpered into my mouth and her hands wiggled in my grip, but I held on and inch my inch I slowly pushed my way into her until our hips were touching. I moved my mouth from hers and placed soft short kisses to any part of her skin I could reach while she got use to my size and the feeling. I knew this would be a little uncomfortable and it actually gave me some time to get a hold of myself a bit. She was so tight and I had a hard time not following what felt natural. After a while I guess I had waited too long, because Naomi started squirming a bit underneath me.

"Jacob! Move"! She half ordered half moaned. I didn't have to be told twice.

Slowly I pulled out her, almost all the way, before I gently went back in. I did this a couple times so she could get use to the rhythm. She felt incredible and I was going to savor this feeling for as long as I could.

Soon her whimpers turned to moans and I felt her legs come up and wrap around me completely. I released her arms and they immediately went behind me to grip my back.

"Jacob, that feels good". Naomi sighed in my ear as she held me close.

I pulled back a little so I could place kisses down her neck, never once stopping my movements.

"Do you like how I feel honey"? I liked talking to her and I think she did too because she let out an exceptionally loud whimper.

"Yes…God….I do." Naomi got out, her sentences cut short and her words strangled.

I knew how she felt though because I felt it too. I placed my face securely in the side of her neck and let out a deep groan. The sensations I was getting from her supple body beginning to be a bit too much.

"Shit babe, you're killing me". It was the fucking truth. My head was so clouded with sensations I was feeling that I couldn't concentrate on anything, but the way her hips moved with mine and every time I pulled out of her and went back in, she gripped me tightly.

It was enough to drive a man insane.

I heard Naomi take in a couple quick, sharp breaths then and I knew she was close.

"Oh…Oh….Oh….Oh….Oh….Oh". She panted quietly.

I didn't want her to finish just yet, I wanted to watch her and see the look of desire across her face.

"Hold on honey, not yet". I said and pulled out of her. Naomi gave a very dissatisfied moan and then I very surprised shriek when I turned to lie on my back and took her with me, holding onto her hips to steady her on top of me.

"Jacob what are you…"? She started to ask but I shushed her. I ran a hand thru her hair and smiled as I watched her close her eyes against my touch.

"I want to see you honey, I want to look at you when I make you come"

Her arousal hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn't help the growl that left my throat. I don't know how I would ever be able to keep my hands to myself. Ever again.

"Jake". Naomi spoke quietly, breaking me out of my trance. "I don't know what to do when I'm like this".

Even with her dark skin, I could see the blush that graced her cheeks. I leaned forward and kissed her, trying to erase her doubts and her fears. I kissed down her neck, to her chest and didn't hesitate when I took a nipple into my mouth, twirling my tongue around it. Naomi leaned into me and I kept her there with my hands on her back. I loved the way she felt against me. After a minute, I removed my mouth from her breast and laid back against the bed again. I once again placed my hands on her hips and lifted her up and aligned her with me, and then slowly I lowered her onto me.

Naomi moaned out my name and I groaned, this new position allowing me to go deeper and to feel her more completely.

I kept my hands glued to her hips and moved her, helping her get use to the rhythm. I lost myself to it. I started to just concentrate on our movements. The way it felt when our hips touched. The way she stroked me from the inside. The sounds she made when I came into contact with a particular sensitive spot.

I had sex before with a few women, but I had never made love to any of them. It was mainly just fucking.

This is what making love must feel like. I was making love to the woman I have always been waiting for.

Naomi's pace picked up without my help and she leaned forward to brace herself on my shoulders. I palmed her breasts in both hands and twirled my thumbs around the nipple. She moaned loudly and I could feel her tightening around me. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard to starve off my own orgasm. I needed her to finish first.

"Oh God Jacob…..I think I'm going to…..". Naomi's sentence got completely cut off and I watched her.

She bounced on me a few more times before her body froze. She tossed her head back and let out my name loudly before the spasms took over . Her body was covered in a slick sheen of sweat, her hair was all over her head and she bit her lip almost painfully as she rode out her orgasm.

She had never looked more beautiful than she did right there.

Without so much of a thought, I grabbed Naomi roughly by the hips and thrusts into her, fast and hard. I could feel the heat building in my stomach and I never wanted to stop. I raised myself off the bed and held Naomi close, my hips slamming into hers, her cries sounding loudly in my ear. With a final thrust and a loud groan into her neck, I spilled into her, my arms coming up to wrap tightly around her body.

I let the orgasm wash over me and with great effort pulled back so I could look at my girl. Naomi was staring at me with a lazy smile on her lips. Some of her hair was stuck to the side of her face and I gently pushed it back behind her ear. Her smile widened.

"Hey". She said softly and I smiled back.

"Hey". I said just as quietly before I leaned forward and took her lips with mine. I kissed her slowly, not having enough energy to do anything more.

When we broke apart, I fell back onto the bed, gently taking Naomi with me. She rested her head on my chest and I laid with one arm behind my head, the other wrapped loosely around her waist, my fingers drawing circles on her hip.

I felt content. I felt loved. I felt happy.

"Jake"? The soft voice called out to me sleepily. I looked down a bit and smiled when I saw that Naomi had her eyes closed.

"Yeah Honey"?

Naomi sighed and I felt her arms tighten around me.

"I love you". She said.

I was silent for a minute, taking the time out to take her in. I didn't know what I did to deserve to be tied down to this beautiful woman for the rest of my life, but I was damn sure happy that I was. After three or four years of playing second best and always running after someone I was never meant to be with. I had finally found the one person that was put on this earth just for me.

"I love you too sweetheart". I whispered back to her sleeping form. "Now and forever".

And as long as I was breathing, I would make sure of it.

* * *

_***One Year Later***_

_**Jacob's POV**_

I loved the holidays. It was actually my favorite time of the year. I could remember when I was little how my mom would be around the kitchen, making a truck load of food and decorating the tree. It was my fondest memory of her and I think that's my main reason why I held the holidays close to my heart.

The snow was deep and some of it got into my work boots as I trudged up the walkway but I didn't care. This year Sue was throwing a huge dinner this Christmas Eve and her house was going to be packed with people. Not only was the entire pack going to be there, but so were our newly inducted pack members and their family and also all of our imprints. I smiled at that. This was the first Christmas I would be spending with my imprint. The last year was definitely a bumpy ride, most of those faults being my own, I was happy to say all in all though that I had a woman that loved me regardless of the dumb shit that I just so often happen to pull.

I kicked the snow off my boots once I got up the steps and I balanced the presents I had under my arms and knocked on the door. The door swung open and I stepped inside, being immediately greeted with loud shouts of "Merry Christmas" and a few slaps on the back.

Camille had stepped forward, giving me a kiss on the cheek before she took my jacket from me. She had really become like another sister to me and between the loving, caring side to the I'll kick your ass side, she was really a good compact combination between Emily and Leah.

"It's about damn time you got here; we were waiting on you before we started dinner". Quil said, pushing into me. I laughed and pushed him back.

"Sorry man, I just wanted to make sure that there was nothing left at the shop before we closed it for the holidays". I was really not planning on doing a goddamn thing but staying in with my love for the rest of the week and nothing was going to get in the way of that.

"That's cool". Quil said before he threw a quick glance over his shoulder. "I just didn't know how long I could be by myself with nervous Magee over there".

I turned towards the direction where he was looking and nodded as I spotted Embry. My poor man was shitting bricks, but it was for a good reason. I understood why he was so nervous because if it was me I would be losing my mind. I slapped Quil on the back.

"Give the man a break, this will be his first time doing something like this and in all honesty I'm surprised he hasn't changed his mind".

Quil looked at me sideways and rolled his eyes.

"He's imprinted and when it's something about your imprint, it's pretty hard to change your mind about that".

I laughed. He had a point there. Speaking of imprint…where the hell was mine?

I sent Quil back over to console our nervous comrade before I stalked off through the house. I greeted some more of the guys, said hello to my dad and some of the Elders, before I made my way into the kitchen.

Sue, Emily, Leah, Camille, Natalie were all there, fiddling around doing this and that and when I turned towards the sink I found her.

Naomi was chopping up some tomatoes on the counter and she had her back towards me. I wasted no time. In three large steps, I reached her and wrapped her in my arms. She gave a pretty loud surprised shriek and I laughed a little before I placed my lips on hers, kissing her like my life depended on it. I felt her sigh into my mouth before her entire body relaxed against my own, arms coming up to wrap around my neck. I could have stayed like this forever. Unfortunately, we were in a room with other people who didn't hesitate to let us know that we were not alone.

"Go get a room already". Leah said but I could hear the smile in her voice.

I laughed and reluctantly removed my lips from Naomi's. I gave her a smile as I stared at her face, using both my hands to hold her hair back.

"I've missed you sweetheart". I said quietly, leaning down to place my nose on hers.

Naomi giggled and bumped her nose against mine.

"I've missed you too" She said and I smiled back.

"Oh goodness you two". This time it was Camille who spoke up. "It's only been like what? Five hours since you two have been apart"?

I shrugged my shoulders and Naomi did the same. I didn't care if I was away from her for all of five minutes; it still felt like a whole month.

Natalie came over to us then and pulled us apart, giving us both a big smile.

"C'mon Jake, out you go, we have to finish getting this dinner together and right now you're a distraction". She said.

I placed a hand over my heart in a fake show of hurt feelings but it was hard to keep the grin off my face. Natalie shook her head at me but shooed me out the kitchen with swat on the butt with a towel. I left without a fight though, because we all were smart enough to know that you don't mess with a woman when she's trying to prepare dinner.

Before long, dinner was ready and was being placed and prepped on the long table Sue had set out in her dining area. Everything looked mouth-watering and we were all getting ready to take our seats when Embry cleared his throat.

"Um, can I have everyone's attention please"? He said loudly and the soft chit chatter died down. He looked over at me and I gave him an assuring smile and a nod to continue. He did.

"The last year has been a crazy whirlpool of events, from finding out we had others out there that are just like us, to welcoming them into our family, into our people, into our culture. If any bloodsuckers tried to get onto our land now, they're going to have to face one hell of an army".

We laughed and that seemed to ease the tension off Embry's shoulders a bit. Then he got serious again.

"Even with all that going on though, I would have never thought I would meet the love of my life".

We all turned to look at Camille, who blushed slightly under the sudden attention. She looked at no one but Embry though and only a fool wouldn't be able to see just how much she cared for him. Embry continued.

"Camille you have been a breath of fresh air for me and I honestly can't imagine life without you, the spirits have already told me that you're the one but now I think I want to make that forever".

He walked over to her then, stopping just a few inches away before he took her hand and kneeled down on one knee. The women around us all gave a collective gasp of shock. I laughed to myself when Naomi bounced excitedly on her feet in front of me.

"Camille". Embry said softly. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you and start our own family. You are everything a man could want or need and I am grateful to have you as my own. Sweetheart would you do me the honor of becoming my wife"?

Embry opened up the small case in his hand and Camille's hand shot up to cover her mouth, tears running freely down her cheeks. She shook her head vigorously before she remembered to move her hand back down.

"Yes….yes…..YES". She shrieked and Em laughed before he placed the ring on her finger and she flung herself at him, almost knocking him over and showering his face with kisses.

The room erupted in cheers and loud hoots and howls. Naomi ran forward and gave Embry a hug before she went to her sister and held up her hand, both of them squealing in excitement. I shook my head with a smile on my face, making my way towards my best friend. He was standing there with a silly smile on his face and his hands in his pockets. I gripped his shoulder.

"Congrats man, I'm happy for you".

Embry's smile widened as he looked at his fiancé going around and showing everyone her new ring.

"Thanks man, it just feels so right you know"?

I nodded, my eyes following Naomi. I knew exactly what he meant.

She must have felt me staring because she turned around and gave me a smile before making her way over. I immediately wrapped my arms around her.

"Well it looks like we have a wedding to plan". She said, smiling up into my face. I smiled back, moving some of her hair back.

"Yeah, looks like we do. I have to say Embry has put us guys under some pressure though".

Naomi laughed and shook her head at me.

"I am yours and you are mine and that's all we need to worry about". She said quietly.

I leaned down and kissed her.

"That's right honey, now and forever".

And finally life was moving in a direction that I liked. I, Jacob Black was unconditionally, totally and utterly happy.

* * *

_**A/N: That's all folks! THANK YOU SO FLIPPING MUCH to those who have been here from the very beginning. Thank you for giving me a chance and hopefully I will be able to write a lot more stories for you. You guys have been awesome and I love you all!**_

_**P.S- I'm thinking about writing a sequel to this and I have an idea in my head. Send me your thoughts. Let me know what you all are thinking. I think a sequel could be pretty interesting **__** Once again thank you for taking this journey with me. Hugs and wolfie kisses! MN**_


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